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The Safety Column
Why Free Downloads Are A Bad Bargain
This is the first article in a series on computer security. Check The Safety Column in every issue of E-Notes for practical advice on secure computing.
It seems that only a handful of Web sites have escaped the scourge of Internet advertising. Whether you're checking your Web mail account, getting driving directions, or reading the latest headlines, pop-up windows block your view and banner ads interrupt your page. Amid the ubiquitous ads for spy cameras and online auctions, you're bound to find an attractive offer.
Some pop-ups prompt you to install software that will change your cursor to a cute cartoon, scan for viruses, speed up your computer, keep you informed about weather changes, or automatically fill in online forms. Some offers may interest you; others may frighten you by disguising themselves as an error message generated by your computer. But before you click that OK button, make sure that you are getting only what the advertisement promises.
The truth about most free downloads is that they're not free. You pay for the software by sending records of the sites you visit and the products you buy online to marketers and spammers. And you may not even know it.
Included in many free and low-cost downloads, spyware and adware track your online activities and report them to marketers. By recording your viewing and buying habits, spyware and adware furnish marketers with valuable information while making you the object of "targeted marketing". Those living in households with children should also know that spyware makes no provisions to adhere to the U.S. Child Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which prohibits collection of personal information from children younger than 13 without the express written permission of a parent or guardian. As if invading your privacy weren't bad enough, spyware also interferes with the way your computer functions.
Many different types of spyware exist. The most invasive can record everything you type, read files on your hard drive, change your Web browser settings, disable your anti-virus software, or otherwise modify your system. Adware is a bit different. Most adware-carrying software states upfront that it is "ad-supported software". In exchange for paying nothing, you get software with banner ads incorporated into the interface. Ad-supported applications may seem like a bargain, but many also include spyware to keep track of the ads you click and your behavior on an advertiser's site.
Spyware is included in several peer-to-peer applications such as Kazaa, Grokster, and iMesh, and has reportedly been carried in files traded on peer-to-peer applications. Ironically, free software that purports to help your computer function better also often carries spyware. Download Plus, Stop Pop-ups Now, Search-O-Matic, NetPal, and the automatic form-filling application Gator all hide spyware in their code. Many miscellaneous helper utilities such as WeatherCast, Bonzi Buddy, and Surfmonkey do too.
If a spyware-carrying application has been installed on your computer, you can look forward to receiving more pop-up ads and e-mail advertisements (also known as "spam") as manufacturers learn of your online viewing and buying habits. As the software's creator sells the information collected about you to other marketers, who, in turn, will sell it to other marketers, these annoyances will increase exponentially. And the pop-ups and spam won't be the only thing slowing down your computer.
In some ways, spyware is no different than a computer virus. It installs itself on your computer by stealth and uses your system and network resources to operate. It runs constantly, taking away processing power from beneficial applications. It can prevent your operating system or other applications from functioning properly. It increases your computer's bandwidth usage, because it is constantly sending reports of your activities back to its manufacturers.
Another reason to avoid installing spyware on your computer is the difficulty of removing it. Removing spyware from many of the applications that carry it is impossible. Spyware will even remain on your system even after you uninstall the program that originally carried it. You may even need to send your computer to a repair technician to remove all traces of the spyware. But you won't have to get rid of spyware if you avoid it altogether.
Before downloading software from the Internet, find out whether or not it contains spyware. The Spyware Guide at http://www.spywareguide.com is a lengthy, though by no means comprehensive, list of spyware-carrying applications. Also try using an online search engine to research the software. If the application contains spyware, chances are that some online source has warned its audience about it.
If you fear that spyware has invaded your computer, download a spyware removal tool from a reputable company to check. Ad-aware from http://www.lavasoftusa.com is a free and effective option. Spybot Search and Destroy, available from http://www.safer-networking.org, is another (though Spybot is not as easy to use as Ad-aware is). By exercising caution before downloading new software and checking for spyware periodically, you will keep both your privacy and your system resources. |
