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How big is the spyware threat?
Currently the spyware problem is getting more coverage, competent researches in spyware spreading and effective methods of withstanding are carried out by different organizations, users are becoming more experienced in how to protect their computers. However, do all recognize the true scales of the problem?
According to State of Spyware report for the 1 st quarter of 2005, published by Webroot company, 87% of computers belonging to organizations and 88% of PCs of private persons were subjected to spyware infection, and where on many of the examined systems 25 and more spyware applications were detected.
For many of those who faced with spyware, the problem lay primarily in the overload of computer resources by spyware, reserving carrying capacity, appearance of unwelcome pop-ups, icons, toolbars and other advertising objects.
But some people weren’t so lucky. In those cases, when spyware appears on computers not only as an advertising campaign, based on doubtful methods of promotion, but following someone’s ill-intentioned will, aimed against a particular person or company. In this situation financial losses and catastrophic consequences won’t keep waiting.
Keyloggers are among the most dangerous types of spyware. Such programs are able to save all input symbols, in some cases — make screenshots and record video from web camera or audio from microphone. All this information can be automatically sent to the person who has installed the keylogger.
Violators can use keyloggers with the purpose of getting confidential information — passwords, PIN-codes, financial data and private correspondence. In some cases a keylogger acted without drawing user’s attention for a considerably long period of time, which then led to serious data drain.
One of the most well-known cases was the attempt to rob London’s branch of the Sumitomo Mitsui Bank, when using a keylogger program the violators got access to confidential information and intended to steal 220 million pounds (423 million dollars) from 10 bank accounts. The data to access the accounts was gathered with the help of the keylogger. The robbery was prevented. During the investigation organized by UK National Hi-Tech Crime Unit one of the violators was identified. It was a citizen of Israel, a 32-year-old Yeron Bolondi detained by Israeli police.
Some experts in data protection hold to the opinion that for every incident with bank data information that was prevented and received publicity, there are up to 10 cases of successful fraud and such harmful programs as keyloggers play not the last role.
Big incidents are also known with Kinko company and with sheriff’s office in state Oklahoma.
Private persons are exposed to the same threat as well. The presence of spyware on a user’s computer may lead to his/her dismissal, as far as somebody’s career is concerned. It can also cause breaking-off in family relations when harmful programs capture home PCs.
Insufficient knowledge among users about how to detect and remove spyware can’t be an excuse to compromise important business information. Also it will be difficult to explain to your family how on earth could addresses of porno sites get into browser’s history, and sometimes even as homepage, with obscene and smutty contents.
«Browser Helper Objects» is another type of spyware. In fact, rather harmless plug-ins for browser may refer to «Browser Helper Objects», e.g. additional means for search from Google and Yahoo, Anonymizer.com button and so on. However, many representatives of this category are known as very dangerous and wide-spread spyware and adware components — Gator(GAIN), Xupiter, CoolWebSearch and others.
In the popular «Wired» magazine there was published a case which told us about how presence of CoolWebSearch on a desktop caused user’s imprisonment. The story tells us that after the boss discovered images, which could be classified as obscene material involving juveniles, the man was sentenced to 3 months of imprisonment for committing sexual crime.
In another case similar actions of «Browser Helper Objects» caused divorce between Fred McFerlain, a pious store owner in Georgia, and his wife because she didn’t want to believe that the computer «did it itself».
While spyware didn’t inflict irreparable injuries to your business and private life, make a pre-emptive strike — use such means of detecting suspicious activity as scanner of processes iKnow Process Scanner!
Article Source: http://www.iKnowProcess.com/
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