Adware, malware, spyware and hijacker help, discussions and information

Malware Advisor Blog 

About TeMerc Internet Countermeasures

Included in this information will be the proper ways to set up your computer to avoid getting any of the aforementioned nasties to begin with. We'll discuss browser set up and provide tweaks which can offer users a secure surfing environment.

Our forums provide all the information you need regarding system security to secure your system, keep abreast of the latest infection trends and tools to remove them. They have been recently upgraded and reconfigured to encompass some 'social' aspects of every day life to present a more more friendly atmosphere for everyone. We're a community and can only grow with your participation. We rely on you as much as you may rely on us to keep you informed.

Users can subscribe to topics and forums to be alerted to the information they deem important.
We have an freeware section which gives users options to software you may normally have to pay for. There are two excellent moderators and keepers of their own sites in Clif, of Clif Notes and Steven Burn of Ur I.T. Mate Group Product Support.

There are also sections pertaining to all that'd expect of a security site, adware, spyware and malware news, operating systems, old, new and to come and many others.

While the information is available to all who come to the site, actual participation in the form of asking or offering help and information, registration is required. It is free and only requires a valid email address. Your information is never shared with any third party entities under any circumstances. You can see a flash tutorial on how to register here.

What are adware, spyware and malware?

Over the last few years adware has come to change both in meaning, depending on who you ask, and actual content. It could be as simple as an icon on an application you've picked up or it could be some type of pop up or banner. Some adware can be of the flash design, being somewhat intrusive and distracting. Another form of adware, even more annoying is the pop up advert which nine times out of ten interrupts your surfing or distracts you. This type of pop up falls under the 'targeted ads' variety. Meaning that, based on your surfing habits the adware vendor pushes thru what it thinks are related to your surfing. This is rarely successful in its intent.

Many times adware is a trade off for a bit of freeware software you've decided to install. This is usually referred to as 'ad supported' or 'ad sponsored'.  AOLs instant messenger, AIM is a good example of this as is the YaHoo! IM and Windows Live messenger also. Tip: A good hosts file as either of the ones on this page will block alot of these adverts.

Another good example is the Opera browser. Users surf and get ads delivered to them as they surf the Net. So we can already see that not all adware is inherently 'bad'. Many millions of uses choose to accept these terms to get the bit of software they want to have.

When adware goes horribly wrong is when it gets foisted upon users without clear, displayed consent. This kind of adware is a very annoying thing to have happen to. More times than not, the intrusion is quite substantial, such as a search engine redirect or homepage change.

Then there is one of the more popular of late, the toolbar. Many applications seem to think that you need another toolbar.

Ninety-nine percent of users don't need a toolbar. Most times it's for some search engine. Google, YaHoo!, Ask are a few to name. The most annoying things about these additions is they are not 'opt in'. Meaning that by default the option is pre-ticked. There is only one reason to use this method of installation: money. For each and every install the primary vendor receives a payment. The trickery here comes in the fact that most users don't actually notice the option until they've finished installing the product and go 'WTF?' Yes, users ought to pay more attention to what comes with anything that claims to be 'free'. But on the other hand, why must vendors exploit this oversight to make a fast buck, and in most cases piss off a user? Well that's an easy one to answer. If the install was not 'opt in', no one would install it and they wouldn't make any money. And there's lots to be made too. You can read about the generally bad decisions made by one vendor in our forums. And I've even posted a separate thread naming the greedy vendors, the apps and what they come with in our forum here.

Now onto spyware. This is easier to define but can be difficult to spot on your system. It can be as innocent as a tracking cookie or as powerful as a key logger. Both can be installed without your knowledge or consent. But cookies are a necessity and key loggers are in most cases not. The intrusion can be in the form ad tracking, typically using cookies to do this. In this case the info collected is sent to a main server so you can then be delivered ad related content. Most people do not like this type of tracking.

Key loggers are generally installed to try and steal your personal information. The goal here is of course to get money either by stealing password and log in info related to financial institutions or to try and make you a victim of identity theft. Either way, something to be on the watch for and certainly reason to keep security software installed. While there are many commercial key loggers available for any number of reasons, child security, workplace security and others, our goal is to fend of the illegal ones.

Finally we get to malware. These little bits of software are adware and spyware combined to both steal information, track surfing habits and generally wreak havoc on your system. Malware can be in the form of trojans, viruses, worms that install bots used to send spam or to launch DDoS attacks. There are many levels of malware but none of them serve any legit purpose.

Malware is the worse form of intrusion you can encounter. Many rootkits are installed with malware payloads. Most systems when compromised will 'call out' to other sites to download additional malware. In many cases the calls are to different sites as well, not limited to just one. This is the primary reason to have a bi-directional firewall installed so that if something does get thru your defenses, it cannot call for reinforcements.

By keeping you informed on all the latest nasties out there and the software needed to maintain a secure computer my goal is to give you peace of mind while you're on the Net. There is no reason people should dread being online or fear using their computer