Spyware

Introduction

It’s only to be expected. When you connect to the Internet, a wired world made up of netizens professing every kind of motive imaginable lie in wait, and you could come up a cropper. Why? Because, to a section of folks on the Web, you represent an opportunity, no less.

Not too long ago when viruses ran amok in Cyberspace, the intent was primarily random destruction in the sense, viruses were programmed to make life difficult to those who unwittingly ‘crossed’ their paths; their data was laid waste, but without it seems any tangible benefits to their creators, generally acknowledged to be pimply adolescents who supposedly did it for a lark, earning precious bragging points in ‘their’ community. They got a kick out of it, but little else. All that changed a while ago. Now, to many out there it makes more sense to profit from unsuspecting victims. Welcome to the world of Spyware. If you thought George Orwell’s 1984 was a good fiction read, you’re seriously mistaken. The Big Brother now watches your every move on the Internet, and does more than just watch – he steals.


Big Brother Methods

As the world got hitched to the Jackson Caravan last month, a mail did the rounds while Jurors met to arrive at a judgment in his case. "Mail users were taken for a jolly ride by Spam mail announcing attempted suicide by the noted Pop artist, Michael Jackson," reminisces Aneesh, QA staff with MicroWorld Technologies. "They used the victim’s curiosity to their advantage. Opening the mail and using the link lead the unsuspecting victim to a website where a Trojan (Borobt-Gen) was installed on their system without their knowledge." A Trojan is a form of Spyware. Spywares are used to steal personal information (account information, usernames and passwords, social security number, contact details etc.), and also to collect your surfing habits for commercial use by third-party ventures.

The subject of the mail was, "Re: Suicidal aatempt". The message text read: "Last night, while in his Neverland Ranch, Michael Jackson has made a suicidal attempt. They suggest this attempt follows the last claim was made against the king of pop. 46 years old Michael has left pre-suicid note which describes and interpretes some of his sins. Read more …"

Govind Rammurthy, CEO, MicroWorld Technologies, and a veteran of many a battle against viruses and their derivatives, sheds more light on the Trojan. "The downloaded Trojan ‘opens’ the user’s computer to unauthorized remote access to the computer via a network by a Hacker. They can then direct the Trojan to download and execute files from remote websites, and use your computer to send out the same Spam to others. They can manage files on your computer, including creating, deleting, renaming, viewing, or transferring files to or from your computer, and utilize a program manager to install, execute, open, or close software programs," adding further "Those who fell for this Spam mail ended up with the Trojan."


A Rundown on Spyware

Spyware can be downloaded automatically from the website the user is surfing, or via e-mail attachments, or when downloading free or illegal software where it is bundled as an ActiveX installation. Spyware can also be installed by a hacker, or via instant messenger service or via Spam mail. Opening or merely pre-viewing such mail can download Spyware onto your system, laying you open to more Spam, and consumed System resources like memory, disk space, and bandwidth. Spyware comes in many forms including Trojans, Adware, Dialers, Browser Hijackers, and Keyloggers.


Other Spyware Manifestations

· Adware are software applications with the ability to display advertisements on your computer, and can be passed on to the user through innocuous looking Pop-ups. They are used to track user’s Web surfing habits. Adware cookies allow multiple Web sites to store and access cookies that may contain user’s private information (surfing habits, account information, usernames and passwords, contact details etc.), and then share this information with other Websites.

· Dialers are used to disconnect a user’s computer from their local Internet provider and reconnect them to the Internet using an expensive pornographic, toll, or international phone number, and the user is billed significant long distance phone charges. Dialers run in the background, hidden from the user.

· Browser Hijackers can change your Internet Explorer settings making Web navigation difficult, route your Web searches through their own search engines, redirect mistyped or incomplete URLs, and change your default home page. They can redirect your Web searches to "pay-per-search" Web sites which are very often pornographic Web sites.

Since the browser became the de-facto interface to the Web, it was only time before it became a target of Viruses, and Spyware, and the latest in the long line of Adware targeting the browser is exotic in the choice of its name: CoolWebSearch, though its intent and actions are anything but cool. It ‘hijacks’ your browser, plain and simple. "We got it busted with our MWAV product," Rammurthy recollects. "It was a tough cookie alright." CoolWebSearch replaces your home-page with a new one: "about:blank" showing pseudo-search engine with subjects like "art", "cars", and "shopping"; its variants consume, system resources, slow down Internet connectivity, and insert bookmarks to adult websites in your Favourites menu.

· Keyloggers can record all keystrokes on your computer. They can record and log your e-mail conversations, chat room conversations, instant messages, and any other typed material. Keyloggers run in the background, hiding their presence from the user. These logs can be viewed and used by a third party for their own motives.

Browser Vulnerabilities

Govind Rammurthy remembers the time he started MicroWorld. "Those days, browsing websites was a safe activity. There was only HTML, text and pictures, little else. Then came developers and technologies intent on making Web browsing ‘a richer experience’. In their quest to make the web pages come alive, web designers began to use scripting and other embedded code like Microsoft’s ActiveX controls (an outgrowth of OLE and COM technologies)," he pauses before continuing. "The thing is, ActiveX would have been fine, what with its ability to provide Java applets-like functionality, but its ability to access the Windows operating system lay it open to exploitation, and it was. Scripts and embedded code in browsers opened the gate to gate-crashers, so to say. Most Web browsers have security flaws."

Protecting yourself against Spyware

Sometimes less is more. It is tempting to download almost everything on offer for free. We do it thinking, well, let’s see what it is, we can always delete it later. And chances are, before you can say bull, you’ll have been gored by Spyware. Most freeware programs contain Adware. Some may even contain other forms of Spyware.

· Before you download programs, ensure that they do not contain Adware. If unsure, read the license agreement carefully, check the publisher’s website for authenticity/integrity, and run a Google search to check if it is listed as Adware.
· Spywares typically get downloaded after you click on links in pop-up windows. These links can be deceptive. Install a pop-up blocker to disable pop-ups.
· In the event you were to click on an innocuous link, and a dialog box pops up asking if you want to install the program, pause and check its authenticity before you click Yes. Ensure that you only install those programs from the Internet which you choose to install, the rest, simply ignore.
· Install Anti-Spyware software to help you clean up your System and guard it against Spyware threats. Update the software periodically to keep it current.

Spywares are here to stay because they generate revenue and other kinds of benefits to their users. The only way open to you is to fight it.