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Greetings and welcome to another Clinic.
In Clinic 15
you learned how to get rid of
tons
of junk that accumulates on your PC.
The happy result is an uncluttered hard drive and much improved system performance.
You also downloaded the excellent FREE program
called Disk Cleaner
which does all of the
cleaning for you with just a few mouse clicks..
Now ... it is time for you to learn how to take care of an
insidious beast called
SPYWARE.
Dr. Mac's
Jargon Buster:
-
SOFTWARE:
- All
the applications and programs on your PC.
Internet Explorer, Outlook
Express, EndItAll2, AVG anti-virus, Microsoft Office, Scandisk etc.
etc.
are all examples of SOFTWARE.
-
SHAREWARE:
-
'Try before you buy' software.
You can use these program and test them out before
your 'license' to use them expires - usually after 30 days or so.
-
FREEWARE:
-
Software programs that are (surprise, surprise) free! They do
not
expire ---but they might occasionally require updating.
These updates are also FREE.
AND THEN THERE IS ...
SPYWARE !
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SPYWARE files are hidden in hundreds of freeware and shareware programs and may even be found
in 'store bought' software.
Spies are inserted into your PC completely without your
knowledge. They slide in silently, automatically, covertly and 'behind
your back'.
Some types of spyware files can even be slipped into your PC while you
are innocently surfing the 'net! |
The
objective of SPYWARE is to go through the existing contents of your system and collect as much information about you as
it can find. It then stays hidden among your files and gleans all sorts of new information as it arrives.
This information is collected for the sole
purpose of turning you into a target for reams and stacks of 'special' advertising, junk e-mail, spam
and numerous other types of uninvited trash.
The
purveyors of this junk use the information they compile about you to
very specifically 'customize' whatever they plan to send your way---or
sell your information to other miscreants with similar intentions.
Spyware programs literally
spy on every move you make on your computer:
--They gather details about your computer--including its
make, model, components and configuration and all
programs you have on board.
--They track your internet
surfing habits, paying special attention to the
websites you visit, how often
you view them and how long you linger.
--They know what links you click on and when you click on them.
--They record the
forms you fill in, any
products you might order and whatever specific
details
you might ask about them.
--They can even log every keystroke
you make on your keyboard--including each letter you type and
every
button you push. They then analyze your typing abilities, usage patterns and other proclivities
to determine how experienced, competent or 'savvy' a computer user you might be.
In short:
Spyware programs can easily build a very thorough
(and thus very useful, saleable and dangerous) profile about
YOU
.
The
details they scavenge can (and will) be sent over the internet to the
offices of other 'spies' and their equally unsavory customers
-- every time you connect
to the Internet!
These companies use this information for their own despicable ends and then pass it along
to the next highest bidder.
This pattern will then be repeated countless times---and
the amount of unwanted junk you receive will multiply with each cycle.
THIS IS
NOT SCIENCE FICTION, NOR THE RAVINGS OF A PARANOID
LUNATIC! These are the
sad and nasty FACTS !!
Spyware files will slow down your computer, seriously degrade its performance and cause a myriad of
other problems.
They will interfere with your internet connections, cause your screens to 'freeze',
your programs to 'hang'
and other basic functions
to 'stick'.
Spyware might
even cause your whole computer to fail --- to the point where you have to either completely reformat or replace
your hard drive(s)--which means you will also have to re-install your operating system and replace
everything
that was lost when your system 'crashed'!!
Unfortunately, no matter how
IMMORAL, UNETHICAL and UNFAIR you think this all might be, it is a virtual
certainty that you
will be affected by spyware at some time.
But how will you know when you've
been spied upon??
Do you ever get loads of unrequested and unwanted junk e-mail, solicitations
or advertisements
(commonly known as
'spam')?
Have you ever received an e-mail
from an unknown sender---addressed to you USING YOUR NAME ?
How did they find
that out!
In fact, how do they even know you
exist---let alone what might be of interested to you??
Are you comfortable with anonymous parties spying on you, learning
all about you, using
this information against you and then selling
these details to other similarly unscrupulous
spam-mongers---behind
your back---
without your permission ... ?
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If your answer is "NO" then ...
SAY "NO" TO SPYWARE ...
Learn how to detect and remove it.
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First step in your COUNTER ATTACK:
FIND OUT WHICH PROGRAMS CONTAIN SPYWARE
You may be shocked to learn that many of the most well-known, popular and commonly used programs like
GoZilla,
Get Right,
Copernic,
Download Accelerator Plus,
Free Solitaire,
Gator,
Netsonic,
Opera Freeware Browser,
Real Audioplayer,
Yahoo!!, Google Toolbar, ICQ, MSN Messenger and many,
many others contain
Spyware!!!
And the list gets longer
every day!! In
later clinics we will show you how to find and get rid of many of
the 'nasty bits' you might already have on your computer.
In the meantime, let's get to work on your knowledge base and put
your new computer skills to work.
There is a program you can download
for FREE
which lists all
(or at least
most
) of the software commonly
known to contain spyware.
The
latest version of this program lists well over 1,000 different programs.
The big question now is:
Do
YOU have programs on your PC that are spying on
YOU?
Let's find out ... : Please study these instructions
and--when you are ready--download the
FREE program
called
'Spy Chaser':
-
Under your main 'Downloads' folder, create a sub-folder;
- Rename it 'Spy Chaser'. (Full details on how to create special folders and sub-folders,
and how to rename folders and files, are in Clinics 4
and 5 )
-
Connect to the internet and click on the download link at the end of these intructions (when you get there);
-
When the Microsoft Download Manager box pops up and asks if
you want to 'Run this file...' or 'Save it to disk', choose
"Save to disk ...".
You will then be asked WHERE you want to save it;
- Navigate to your newly created
'Spy Chaser' folder and download into that. (Full details on how to download correctly are
in Clinic 5);
- Once the file is fully downloaded, you can disconnect from the internet;
-
Use the
Windows Explore
shortcut on your desktop to
navigate to your
'C:\Downloads\Spy Chaser' folder. (You learned how to make several useful shortcuts in
Clinic 3 - including the Windows Explorer shortcut);
-
Look for the compressed (zipped) file 'spychs30.zip.'
It looks like this :
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You must now extract this zipped file.
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-
RIGHT-click once on the zipped file.
You will see
three
WinZip options
at
the top of the menu. -
Select the middle option.
(If you don't have WinZip, learn how to
download and install it in
Clinic 6.
)
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When you RIGHT-click on the
spychs30.zip file, a menu with three options for WinZip
appears.
Select
'Extract to folder
C:\Downloads\Spy Chaser/spychs30'
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-
A new folder called spychs30
(which contains the extracted files) will appear in your new
Spy Chaser folder.
WELL DONE!!
You have now downloaded and extracted the files for the
Spy Chaser program.
Now you want to install it:
HOW TO INSTALL Spy Chaser
-
Whenever you install a new program,
always start by closing
down any unnecessary running programs using
EndItAll2;
(Full details on downloading and installing
EndItAll2 are in
Clinics 5,
6
and
7;
Remember, the
Library
link at bottom of each clinic page will
lead you to ALL of the Computer Clinics for easy reference.)
-
Once you have closed down all
unnecessary running programs, double-click your
Windows Explorer
shortcut;
- When
Windows Explorer
opens, navigate to your
C:\Downloads\Spy Chaser\spychs30
folder;
-
Inside this folder you will find the extracted
Spy Chaser files.
- DOUBLE-CLICK on the
spychs30.exe
icon (the little picture)
to start the
installation.
It looks like this :
spychs30.exe
-
As the program installs, follow the
instructions on the screen.
Click
'Next'
,
'Next'
,
'Yes'
and
'OK'
when prompted;
-
After the program has
fully
installed (it only takes a short
time), REBOOT
your
PC.
To do that, click on the big
'START'
button, click on
'Shut down',
then in the box
that pops up, click the 'Restart'
option. Then click on
'OK'
.
Your PC will now
restart
(or
'Reboot'
.)
- Once your PC has rebooted and you are back into Windows, a new shortcut icon (little picture) will appear
on your desktop. It looks like this :
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DOUBLE-CLICK on this shortcut icon to open the
Spy Chaser program.
Another shortcut is
already added to your 'START PROGRAMS' list -- at the very
bottom!
To move it to the alphabetically correct place, left-click the shortcut,
hold your mouse button down, and
'drag' it up to the correct spot.
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Your
Spy Chaser program opens up and looks like this:
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To check a specific
program, type in (or 'Enter') the name .
After the
first few letters are typed, a list of names will appear.
If your program is Spyware, it will show up in one of the lists. |
Compare the lists of programs in
Spy Chaser against the ones installed on your
computer.
To see what programs you have, click on the big
Start button (the green one at bottom left of your desktop)then find and click on
Programs.
Scroll through the list that
comes up and compare it to
Spy Chaser.
Do you have any SPYWARE programs on board ???
If so, make a note of any suspicious entries.
We'll show you in
later clinics what to do about them.
Okay then....
When you understand and are comfortable with
all of the above, go get
your copy of Spy Chaser
from here:
http://camtech2000.net/Programs/spychs30.zip
(TIP: DOUBLE-click on this link if a single click doesn't work.)
GOOD WORK!!
You have sucessfully installed Spychaser and are on your way to making sure there are no spies hiding in your computer.
In our next Clinic you will learn about another fantastic FREE program that scans
your hard drive, scours your registry and smokes out any nasty spy files or
registry entries that may be trying to hide there.
Even better, once it identifies the bad ones,
it can
delete them all for you!
A reminder:
These Computer Clinics are intended as
an easy-to-follow ongoing 'training course'.
If you have recently joined
idf50, you should go to the Library Index (via the 'Here' link at the bottom of this page) and start with
Clinic No. 1.
There are full details in
Clinic 2 on how to save each Clinic
to your own PC
'
as a single page'.
Once they have been saved, you can
refer to the clinics at your own pace, whenever you like and WITHOUT being connected
to the internet.
AND YES ... another week has passed so it's time to give your PC its regular Maintenance MOT.
We've told you how to do ALL of this in previous Clinics but just to summarize:
(1) Delete all
unwanted e-mails and then empty your "Deleted items" e-mail folder.
(2) Close down all running programs using End It All .
(3) Use Disk Cleaner to
thoroughly clean and remove all junk from your hard drive. (Full instructions and download are in
Clinic 15).
(4) And finally, fix directory and file problems using the standard Scandisk.
(chkdsk for XP users)
AND REMEMBER ...
ALWAYS SAY NO TO SPYWARE!
Happy Computing until the next Clinic !
Best wishes ... !
Dr. Mac
Dr. Mac's Computer Clinic
LIBRARY
All the Computer Clinics that have appeared on the idf50 web-site
are HERE
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