Brochure
Best Practices

I.S. Sentry, Inc.
Information Systems Perimeter Security
Sales@ISSentry.Com

Spyware Issues in the News

Keep Spies Out of Your Computer: Spybot Takes on Two New Apps (cNet) 05/05/05
When it comes to antispyware apps, there's nothing quite like Spybot Search and Destroy. Not only is it free, Spybot offers a wide variety of customization options, from skins to language choice, all while maintaining the integrity and thoroughness you'd expect from our CNET Editors' Choice award winner.

In January, Microsoft joined the antispyware party, also offering a free antispyware tool. However, the Microsoft app doesn't currently have as much customization as Spybot, and, in an informal side-by-side test, the Microsoft Antispyware app missed a few spyware apps readily identified by Spybot. We found that on older machines, Microsoft Antispyware produces a noticeable drag. Spybot, on the hand, remains light on your system and won't impede your work flow.

Not to be outdone, however, is Symantec, which also released its own antispyware app in April. Rather than making its product available separately, Symantec rolled it into the existing Norton Internet Security product. The result? Microsoft's app may produce a slight drag, but Symantec's tool can downright slow your old PC to a crawl. Like Microsoft's product, Symantec's Norton Internet Security 2005 Antispyware edition is currently in beta. Both companies are expected to announce their final versions later this summer. [Click here for Full Story]

SurfControl Takes on Spyware (desktop pipeline) 04/25/05
SurfControl on Monday said that early next month it plans to ship a new product that thwarts spyware and other malware threats plus helps enforce corporate controls for applications such as instant messaging.

Called SurfControl Enterprise Threat Shield, the software provides features and signature databases for protecting against known malware, but it also can be custom-programmed by solution providers to adapt and respond to new threats on the fly, said Jim Murphy, director of product marketing at SurfControl, Scotts Valley, Calif.

SurfControl Enterprise Threat Shield fits into the vendor's broad Enterprise Protection Suite. It costs $30 per user per year in deployments of 100 users, and the price drops to $17 per user per year for a 1,000-user installation, Murphy said.

SurfControl's new product is unique in that it's designed to thwart malware with enterprise administration in mind, said Robert Duchouquette, director of technical services at SBS Security, a Dallas-based security solution provider that represents several different products in the antispyware category. SurfControl Enterprise Threat Shield can act at the gateway level to detect and remove spyware before it has a chance to install itself on desktop clients, he said. [Click here for Full Story]

McAfee: Unpatched Machines a Major Security Threat (desktop pipeline) 04/25/05
Hackers will keep cranking out exploits that take advantage of known software vulnerabilities because, although patches are available, a minority of machines are fixed, security vendor McAfee said Monday.

In releasing its quarterly security analysis, McAfee's "AVERT" virus research team noted that exploited vulnerabilities are becoming a dominant threat to both consumers and enterprises.

"The day of the virus may have come and gone," said Vincent Gullotto, the vice president of AVERT. "One day it may swing back, but now we're looking at different types of programs, not viruses, that threaten computers. And many of them are exploiting machines' vulnerabilities."

According to AVERT's estimates, half or more of the computers connected to the Internet aren't properly patched or updated. Not good, especially when the number of vulnerabilities spotted in the first quarter of 2005 was up 6 percent over the same quarter last year. [Click here for Full Story]

Appliance Defends Against Spyware (systems management pipeline) 04/18/05
As spyware becomes a bigger problem for business computers and networks, business-technology managers are looking for technology to help protect their data and users from the unwanted spying. Barracuda Networks Inc. on Monday unveiled a spyware-blocking and Web-content-filtering appliance called the Barracuda Spyware Firewall to address those issues.

Spyware, small applications that plant themselves in a computer and unbeknownst to the user collect and transmit information, has become a costly problem for IT departments that spend an increasing amount of time removing it from machines. The Barracuda Firewall is designed to prevent such malware from gathering and transmitting personal user data before it moves across the LAN. The firewall appliance is easier to install and doesn't require as much time, IT resources, and money to maintain as client-based anti-spyware products, Barracuda says.

The appliance uses signature and rule-based blocking techniques to prevent spyware from taking action. The appliance also will check for viruses by combining file-type blocking, dual-level virus checking, and decompression of archives. An additional Barracuda Central technical control center constantly monitors Web sites for spyware infractions and creates a black list, preventing users from visiting those sites. Barracuda Spyware Firewall 210, 310, and 410 models will begin shipping June 1, priced between $1,999 and $5,999, the vendor says. [Click here for Full Story]

Hackers Use Blogs to Spread Worms, Keyloggers (smallbiz pipeline) 04/13/05
Blogs aren't just for blabbing to friends and family, said a security and content filtering firm Wednesday, but increasingly are being used as a safe haven by hackers for storing and distributing malicious code, including identity-stealing keyloggers.

"We're seeing that more and more of the locations where malicious code is stored is on blog sites," said Dan Hubbard, the senior director of security and technology research for San Diego-based Websense. So far this year, Hubbard said, his lab has discovered hundreds of blogs involved in the storage and delivery of harmful code.

"In particular, keyloggers and other Trojan downloaders and droppers are being stored and updated from blog sites," Hubbard added. A keylogger is the term for a type of spyware that watches for, records, then transmits to the hacker identities surreptitiously hijacked from PCs. [Click here for Full Story]

Tip Sheet: How to Protect Against a Zero-Hour Attack (smallbiz pipeline) 04/15/05
Here are six good ideas for keeping your computer systems safe from viruses and worms. By Rob McCarthy Courtesy of TechLearning

In the last year, a series of viruses and worms that caused damage across the Internet in record time has made very clear how vulnerable our computer systems are. The MS Blaster, Slammer, Sasser, and Korgo.W worms have shown that signature-based antivirus software and traditional firewalls are not enough to protect networks. Everyone is worried about a zero-hour attack — an attack based on a previously unknown vulnerability and completely immune to antivirus software. What can you do to protect your network from such an event? Here are a few ideas: Use file integrity checking. [Click here for Full Story]

Symantec Offers Free Anti-Spyware Beta (desktop pipeline) 04/18/05
Symantec on Monday released a free beta of its integrated security suite that for the first time includes a full-featured anti-spyware component, a move by the Cupertino, Calif.-based company to fend off both its long-time rivals in the security space as well as smaller firms that specialize in spyware defenses.

Norton Internet Security 2005 Anti-Spyware Edition is, as the name implies, a version of Symantec's all-in-one consumer and small business security suite.

"Customers want an all-in-one solution," said Kraig Lane, the group product manager for the suite line. "Internet Security already covers the bases of anti-virus, firewall, spam, and parental controls. We had the option of shipping anti-spyware separately to monetize our work, but customers were telling us that they expected spyware defenses as part of a complete package." [Click here for Full Story]

Spyware Obstacle Course (Download.Com) 04/19/05
The battle between spyware and antispyware software rages on, as the antispyware developers struggle to stay on top of ever-evolving threats to computer users' privacy. We put together our first Spyware Obstacle Course in November 2004 to help users choose the best antispyware app for their systems. However, the evolving nature of the problem and some new solutions prompted us to set up the obstacle course for a second run.

This time around we've upped the ante. We've chosen a different problem program bundled with even more vicious spyware. Instead of the Unsavory Six from our last obstacle course, we now have the Evil Eight. These represent both widespread and newer spyware threats. Our antispyware contestants consist of some of the same big-name programs, with a couple of new entries that have become popular. The roster, in alphabetical order, is: [Click here for Full Story]

Spyware and your Kids (Microsoft) 01/05/05
If your computer starts to suddenly slow down or you begin to see pop-up windows, even when you're not browsing the Internet, you may be the victim of spyware and other unwanted software. Spyware is software that is automatically downloaded to your computer without your notice, and is often attached to another file you have chosen to download or install. Spyware can also be downloaded to your computer when you click on banner ads on Web sites.

The types of unwanted software programs that kids accidentally download are usually annoying and may slow down your computer, but are typically not dangerous.

If your children regularly use your computer, they may be visiting sites or downloading files that could be exposing your computer to spyware and other unwanted software. [Click here for website]

Video: Protecting Your Computer From Spyware (Microsoft) 04/13/05
Watch this video to find out more about spyware—what it is, ways your computer can become infected, symptoms of infection, and the top three things you can do to prevent spyware. [Click here for Full Story]

Help Protect Your Computer With The New Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool (Microsoft) 03/30/05
You may think you already do everything you can to protect your computer from new threats: you have the latest firewall and antivirus protection, and you regularly update your computer using the latest security bulletins from Microsoft. Nonetheless, you may already have malicious software on your computer and not even know it.

What is malicious software?

Malicious software (also called "malware") is software that was developed with the intention to cause harm. Malware can include viruses, worms, spyware, and other destructive programs that can hide on your computer and can slow its performance to a crawl. Even more alarming, malware can be used to monitor your browsing habits, steal passwords, and even allow an attacker to gain control of your system.

Malicious software either installs on your computer without your knowledge or can be installed with a program you intended to download. For example, you might think you are downloading a video game only to find out that this "game" found your credit card number on the computer and sent it to an attacker. [Click here for Full Story]

Quiz: Spyware Basics 1 (Microsoft) 04/13/05
(I scored 5 out of 5, how will you do?)

Do you know what spyware is, how to help protect yourself against it, and what you should do if it’s on your computer? Take this quiz to test your knowledge.

1. What does a spyware program do?

A. It performs tasks on your computer without your consent and control.
B. It lets you secretly read other people's e-mail.
C. It blocks advertisements from popping up while you surf the Web.

2. How can you tell if spyware is on your computer?

A. You see pop-up advertisements all the time and your computer slows down.
B. Your settings have changed (for example, your browser home page) and you cannot change them back to the way they were.
C. Your Web browser contains additional components that you don’t remember downloading.
D. All of the above. [Click here for Full Story]

Special Report: Fighting Back Against Spyware (desktop pipeline) 04/06/05
As attacks from spyware authors build in intensity, the legitimate Internet community is fighting back, with users, vendors, and lawmakers doing their part — with varying success. Here's a guide to major spyware articles we've published on Security Pipeline this year:

How Spyware Works Learn how spyware gets on your system, what it does when it gets there, and some tips for protecting yourself. When was the last time you made a backup of your critical data?

Hot Apps: Spy Sweeper 3.5 While Microsoft AntiSpyware is a hot topic of discussion in the press these days, J.W. Olsen finds nothing in its beta release that threatens his conviction that Spy Sweeper is the best of the bunch.

Spyware And Your PC: Keeping It Out, Getting Rid Of It Best practices for individual PC users looking to keep spyware-free, along with tips on getting rid of spyware if you get infected anyway. 

MUCH MUCH MORE [Click here for Full Story]

Trend AMicro Tackles Spyware with New Bundles (desktop pipeline) 04/01/05
Security vendor Trend Micro this week is launching new desktop, server and gateway security bundles to help control the accelerating threat of spyware.

The new bundles, including OfficeScan Anti-Spyware Suite and the InterScan Anti-Spyware Suite, feature multilayer protection against spyware.

According to Bob Hansmann, senior product marketing manager for client server security at the Cupertino, Calif.-based vendor, the upgrades signal Trend Micro's commitment to a new and aggressive stance against threats such as adware, keystroke loggers and other forms of malware.

"Unlike many of the point products on the market, we attack the spyware problem from a variety of angles," he said. "That means there are a number of opportunities for solution providers to build services around the solution."  [Click here for Full Story]

PC Tools Upgrades Anti-Spyware With Improved Keylogger Protection (security pipeline) 03/28/05
Spyware Doctor 3.2 also adds partial support for realtime protection, improved protection against spyware that attempts to re-install itself after it's been uninstalled by users, and against harmful cookies.

PC Tools plans on Tuesday to upgrade its anti-spyware software with improved protection against keyloggers.

Keyloggers, or keystroke-logging utilities, are software or hardware that watch what users are typing, and transmit the logs of the keystrokes to a central location. Frequently, they're used by attackers to capture credit-card numbers and other personal information typed by users at banking and other e-commerce sites.

The anti-keylogging in Spyware Doctor 3.2 looks for patterns of behavior in keylogging software, including software that attempts to access the keyboard API, replace the keyboard driver, or attempts to hide its processes from system management tools. [Click here for Full Story]

CoolWebSearch, Dubbed Adware's "Ebola," Tops Spyware Threat List (security pipeline) 03/30/05
CoolWebSearch, adware that generates more than $300 million a year for its maker, is the "Ebola" of adware, and easily the most significant spyware threat on the Internet, an anti-spyware security firm said Wednesday.

CoolWebSearch, which comes in multiple forms, can hijack Web search errors, usurp the browser's home page, and modify other Internet Explorer settings. Recent variants have taken to exploiting vulnerabilities in IE, such as those in the HTML Help system, to install on PCs.

"It's only purpose is to get on a PC, and stay on that PC, even at the cost of killing that machine," said Richard Stiennon, the vice president of threat research for Boulder, Colo.-based Webroot, which publishes the Spy Sweeper line of anti-spyware software.

According to Webroot, nearly half of the PCs it's audited for spyware or adware are infected with CoolWebSearch. [Click here for Full Story]

Desktop Anti-Spyware is Inadequate, Says Survey (security pipeline) 03/14/05
Desktop defenses against spyware are ineffective, said a survey released Monday, an opinion backed by a security analyst wired into the identity theft scene.

Security appliance maker Blue Coat polled more than 300 IT professionals whose companies are using desktop-based anti-spyware solutions from vendors such as Computer Associates, Webroot, Symantec, Lavasoft, Microsoft, and Spybot, and found that nearly three out of four reported that current programs "are ineffective in preventing spyware from infecting their networks."

The survey, which was conducted last month and included IT managers from around the world working in small-, medium-, and large-sized enterprises, also found that spyware was becoming an ever-bigger blight. Eight-four percent of those surveyed said that the spyware problem is worse, or at best the same, as it was three months ago.  [Click here for Full Story]

Court Stifles Bogus Anti-Spyware Vendor (security pipeline) 03/14/05
A company that allegedly scared users into buying its software by offering to eradicate nonexistent spyware has been ordered to cease and desist by a U.S. court, the Federal Trade Commission said Friday.

The FTC filed against Spokane, Wash.-based MaxTheater and its principal, Thomas Delanoy, to stop the company from touting SpyWareAssassin through bogus "scans" claiming the user's PC was infected with spyware.

According to the FTC, which was awarded a temporary restraining order by a U.S. District Court on Friday, SpyWareAssassin used Web sites, banner ads, and popups to drive traffic to its Web site where the company warned "...you WILL eventually experience credit card and/or identity theft and your computer will crash and cease working for good."

The Web site then offered to scan the user's PC for spyware. Inevitably, the scan would find copious amounts of malicious software because, said the FTC in a statement, the "free remote scan is phony, and the defendants' representations that they have detected spyware on the consumer's computer are deceptive." [Click here for Full Story]

ZeroSpyware Removes and Repairs (security pipeline) 03/14/05
FBM Software, Inc. announced Monday the release of ZeroSpyware 2005, a comprehensive anti-spyware solution available to consumers and small businesses. ZeroSpyware 2005 features ZeroSpyware Remote Restore service, a direct 24/7 spyware removal assistance service that allows consumers access to live interactive diagnostics and repair personnel at any time.

The product introduces dozens of features designed to prevent spyware infections and repair damaged systems, including: vulnerability scanning, intrusion detection systems, interactive diagnostic and system repair tools, and Automated Discovery.

Automated Discovery is the active detection, protection, and prevention of spyware threats based on the identification and isolation of known and unknown applications posing potential threats. While vulnerability scanning and intrusion detection systems have been utilized in enterprise applications for some time, ZeroSpyware 2005 is a consumer product that incorporates these features in a preventive environment that effectively locks down key areas of a computer's operating system against attacks. ZeroSpyware 2005 eases the complexities of spyware management through automated tasks that cover all threats along with the ability to address threats on an individual basis. [Click here for Full Story]

House Anti-Spyware Bill Clears Committee (security pipeline) 03/10/05
The U.S. House of Representatives moved on its anti-spyware bill Wednesday by unanimously voting it out of committee and sending it to the House floor for consideration.

In a vote of 43-0, the Energy and Commerce Committee passed the Spy Act (Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass Act), but only after one final amendment that specifically called out "Web bugs" (which also go by "Web beacons") as legal. Wednesday's amendment also legalized persistent, embedded advertisements, something that was forbidden in earlier editions of the bill.

Earlier this year, the committee had modified the Spy Act to allow all cookies after Web advertisers and others voiced concern about banning such tracking tools.

The legislation would prohibit a wide range of spyware- and adware-style activities, including keyboard logging and home page hijacking, and forbid practices such as collecting information without the user's consent or intentionally diverting a browser from its intended destination. Violators could face civil fines up to $3 million. [Click here for Full Story]

Legislation Won't Stall the Spyware Juggernaut (security pipeline) 03/01/05
Spyware has reached such epidemic proportions that legislators in the US Congress as well as state legislatures are responding to public outrage by drafting bills to prohibit its distribution, stem abusive practices and protect Internet user privacy. Unfortunately, pending and recently enacted anti-spyware laws are considerably flawed and could actually cause more harm than good. In fact, many experts believe we'd be better off if we'd simply put more effort into enforcing existing laws that prohibit fraud and deceptive business practices. And nearly all knowledgeable parties acknowledge that spyware is a technology problem that requires a technology solution.

New Laws, Plenty Of Flaws

Three pieces of legislation are receiving attention and attracting most of the debate.

- Bill S.2145, the SPY BLOCK Act, seeks to "to regulate the unauthorized installation of computer software, to require clear disclosure to computer users of certain computer software features that may pose a threat to user privacy, and for other purposes.... "   [Click here for Full Story]

Spyware Workshop- Monitoring Software on Your PC: Spyware, Adware, and Other Software (Federal Trade Commission) 03/01/05
On April 19, 2004, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)1 sponsored Monitoring Software on Your PC: Spyware, Adware, and Other Software, a one-day public workshop to explore the issues associated with computer software known as “spyware.”2 The workshop featured six panels made up of 34 representatives from the computer industry, the electronic advertising industry, anti-spyware product industry, trade associations, government agencies, consumer and privacy advocacy groups, and other interested parties. Panel topics included: # Defining, Understanding, and Disseminating Spyware; # Security Risks and PC Functionality; # Privacy Risks; # Industry Responses to Spyware – Industry Best Practices and Working with the Government; # Technological Responses to Spyware; and # Government Responses to Spyware – Law Enforcement, Consumer Education, and Coordinating with Industry. [Click here for Full Story]

FTC Calls For Action Against Spyware (security pipeline) 03/07/05
The Federal Trade Commission today issued a report that identifies spyware as "a real and growing" problem.

Eleven months after its April 2004 workshop, "Monitoring Software on Your PC: Spyware, Adware, and Other Software," the FTC released a report summarizing its findings, a transcript of the day-long panel discussion, and related documents.

The report confirms what many security professionals have been warning, namely that "spyware is a real and growing problem and that spyware can impair the operation of computers and create substantial privacy and security risks for consumers' information."

To mitigate spyware, the FTC staff recommends government and industry action, in the form of increased prosecution under existing laws and more educational initiatives. The report finds that technological solutions, both hardware and software, provide significant protection. [Click here for Full Story]

Employees Get Lesson in Spyware Prevention (desktop pipeline) 03/07/05
A typical company with 3,000 employees spends $2 million to $7 million combating spam each year, according to research firm Gartner. One of the fastest-growing Internet threats, spyware, is expected to drive these costs even higher. Research firm IDC expects anti-spyware spending to climb from $31 million in 2004 to $305 million by 2008.

Few of the business-technology professionals surveyed in InformationWeek Research's Triple Threat: Spam, Spyware, And Adware survey say that spyware would be less of a problem if employees took the time to thoroughly read user agreements. Of the 400 survey participants who are responsible for their companies' networks or E-mail applications, or are involved in selecting anti-spam and content-filtering software, three in five say that spyware still would be a menace even if employees read their user agreements more carefully. Respondents at companies of all sizes express the same opinion. [Click here for Full Story]

Next-Generation Desktop Security Defends Against New Threats (security pipeline) 03/01/05
Anti-spyware software, behavior-based intrusion prevention, and software suites go beyond traditional anti-virus technology to guard desktop PCs from harm.

Enterprise PCs, once nestled behind perimeter security devices, are the new security frontier for 2005. Roving laptops may return to the corporate mother ship with malware that propagates itself throughout the soft chewy inside of the enterprise network. Even stationary desktops can fall victim to rogue programs that exploit OS and application vulnerabilities or are downloaded by end users.

While desktop anti-virus software has become the de facto security standard on enterprise PCs, it's clear that anti-virus alone can't protect these assets. For instance, spyware programs that track user surfing habits often aren't covered in anti-virus signature libraries and usually get passed over during search-and-destroy scans. And when it comes to zero-day attacks, all signature-based solutions are helpless until malware researchers can identify and distribute patterns to detect the new exploits.

Vendors have responded with a bumper crop of software security agents to help you lock down your desktops. The result is a bewildering number of options for beleaguered security professionals to choose from. [Click here for Full Story]

How Spyware Works (security pipeline) 02/28/05
Spyware doesn't just install itself by magic — although it can certainly seem that way. Typically, users need to visit a spyware-infested site and take some action to cause a spyware module to be installed. Sometimes just clicking to exit an annoying popup will do it. Knowing when to click — and more important, when not to click --— takes some experience and knowledge.

Knowledge and a few key tools will give you confidence to help keep your systems spyware-secure.

The latest addition to the anti-spyware arsenal is Microsoft AntiSpyware, available for download at the Microsoft AntiSpyware site. (Read a review by Scot Finnie.) I use it, plus Spybot Search and Destroy and Lavasoft Ad-aware.

One of the most powerful weapons in your anti-spyware arsenal is a good regimen of making backups. That way, even if your system is hosed and you have to rebuild everything from the bare metal, you still have recent copies of the data you need. [Click here for Full Story]

Microsoft Patches Media Player Against Spyware (smallbiz pipeline) 02/16/05
Microsoft has posted an update to Windows Media Player, its flagship audio/video application, to stymie attacks by Trojan horses intent on planting spyware on users' machines.

In January, security firms noted that several Trojan horses were spoofing Digital Rights Management (DRM) licenses, and were downloading massive amounts of spyware, adware, and other malicious code to PCs.

The Redmond, Wash.-based developer said that the update, which installs two components, "improves the robustness of the Windows Media DRM platform and adds additional integrity checks to the DRM system."

The modifications to Media Player will also allow DRM license issuers to verify that each user's PC has been updated to the newest edition of the application before they issue new licenses or renew existing ones, Microsoft added. [Click here for Full Story]

Microsoft "Refreshes" Anti-Spyware Tool (smallbiz pipeline) 02/14/05
Microsoft updated its free AntiSpyware tool Wednesday, although it stopped far short of pushing the software into the second beta that company executives have promised will appear before it goes final.

"Since releasing Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) on January 6, 2005, we have enhanced some of the real-time protection agents, added new threat categories, and improved stability and performance," said Microsoft in an online notice.

Users who downloaded the original can upgrade to what Microsoft's dubbing a "refreshed version" from this Web site. The newest edition is tagged as "1.0.509" in the "About Microsoft AntiSpyware" on the Help menu.

AntiSpyware, which Microsoft said this week will remain free to consumers, is a cornerstone of its latest security push to lock down Windows and prevent attackers from stealing identities and other confidential information. [Click here for Full Story]

Symantec, McAfee Launch Enterprise Anti-Spyware Tools at RSA (Systems Management Pipeline) 02/14/05
Symantec and McAfee leveraged the RSA Conference Monday to launch enterprise-wide battles against spyware. Both major security vendors touted new enterprise anti-spyware solutions.

As recently as a year ago, attention to spyware was low on the enterprise totem pole, said David Friedlander, a senior analyst with Forrester. Not so now. In 2005, he predicted, 65 percent of U.S. companies will purchase or upgrade anti-spyware software, making the category the most-purchased security technology for the year.

"There's a tremendous opportunity in anti-spyware," said Friedlander. "Spyware ranks fourth out of a list of nine possible threats to the organization." And while the vast majority of firms claim to have anti-spyware software in play -- 80 percent by the results of Friedlander's research -- many of them are using free, limited-use tools such as Ad-Aware and Spybot. [Click here for Full Story]

Spyware is a Corporate Scourge, Says Forrester Report (Systems Management Pipeline) 02/15/05
Spyware has become a serious security and IT support issue, according to a new report from Forrester Research, and enterprises are increasingly turning to anti-spyware products to help control the scourge.

According to "Antispyware adoption in 2005," the real level of infection may be difficult to gauge, since 39% of companies surveyed had no idea how many of their systems were affected. However, report author David Friedlander writes that the remaining respondents put the infection level as high as 17%. Indeed, According to Friedlander, the problem is likely to get worse, noting Forrester expects this to increase to as much as 25% within 12 months as spyware proliferates and becomes more aggressive."

Some 80% of companies surveyed have already deployed specialized tools to deal with the problem, though Friedlander notes that, for the most part, they have not done so on a systematic basis. "Tools were frequently introduced in an ad hoc manner over the past two years to fix infected PCs," Friedlander notes, "but companies are now looking to extend protection to more systems." Indeed, 65% of respondents plan to invest in new and upgraded anti-spyware tools this year. [Click here for Full Story]

More Anti-Spyware Tips (smallbiz pipeline) 01/24/05
Best practices for individual PC users looking to keep spyware-free, along with tips on getting rid of spyware if you get infected anyway.

So, you suddenly start getting odd emails, your system is acting sluggish, there's extra network activity when there is no reason for it, you're getting a lot of pop-ups. What might be causing these new annoyances? Spyware.

Spyware is software that's installed without your informed consent. Spyware communicates personal, confidential information about you to an attacker. The information might be reports on your Web-surfing habits, or the software might be looking for even more sinister information, such as sniffing out your credit card numbers and reporting those numbers. [Click here for Full Story]

IT Managers Rate Spyware No. 1 Threat (desktop pipeline) 01/24/05
Two-thirds of IT managers named spyware as the number one threat to their networks' security in 2005, a survey released Monday said.

The poll, conducted by security firm WatchGuard on the Seattle-based company's Web site in December, revealed that 66 percent of the managers and administrators surveyed thought that spyware would pose a greater threat this year than either viruses or phishing attacks.

About the same number -- 65 percent -- said that between the three threats of viruses, phishing, and spyware, their network were least protected from spyware.

Even so, the IT leaders complained that neither their company's executives nor their users understood or respected spyware's potential damage. A majority of 54 percent, for instance, said that execs were keeping their eyes on viruses as the major threat, while only 38 percent said executives were backing efforts to put spyware at the top of the security focus list for the year. [Click here for Full Story]

Phishing Shows No Sign of Slowing (desktop pipeline) 01/21/05
Phishers set another all-time record in December by creating -- and then quickly dumping -- over 1,700 bogus sites that tried to dupe users into giving up private information, the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) said Friday as it released its newest report on the scam scheme.

The number of phishing Web sites -- which are created by criminals who lure consumers to them on the premise that they need to confirm or re-create lost credit card or bank account information -- in December jumped another 10 percent over November to spike at 1,707. Since August, when just 731 such sites appeared, the month-to-month increase has been a dismaying double-digit 24 percent.

APWG's tally of unique phishing e-mail campaigns also climbed in December -- to a new record of 9,019 -- but the boost over November was a measly six percent. [Click here for Full Story]

Lavasoft Takes Ad-Aware To Retailers (desktop pipeline) 01/21/05
Lavasoft is leveraging the increased scrutiny on spyware's dangers to bring its popular anti-spyware Ad-Aware software to North American retail channels, the Swedish-based vendor said Friday.

Ad-Aware is one of the Web's most popular downloads, since the basic version is free in non-commercial settings such as homes and schools. Lavasoft also sells enhanced versions, including Ad-Aware Plus, the edition it's planning to take to retail.

Lavasoft will partner with Dallas-based computer and video game publisher Tri Synergy to distribute Ad-Aware Plus in North American retail outlets during the first quarter of 2005. [Click here for Full Story]

Big, Scar Biker Dudes (security pipeline) 01/20/05
Back in the old days, it was easy to figure out what kind of information to publish in a security webzine.

By "old days," I refer to 2002, 2003 and early 2004. Back then, when we heated our homes with coal and listened to Bing Crosby on the Victrola, readers' needs were simple: You wanted bulletins and more bulletins. Anytime there was a virus warning or alert, or Microsoft made a new patch available, you wanted to know about it right away. All us news reporters had to do was slap up a few paragraphs, then stand back before getting trampled by the hordes of hungry readers clamoring to get at the story.  [Click here for Full Story]

Wayne Rash: Recommended PC Anti-Spyware Products (security pipeline) 01/18/05
Chances are, you have spyware on your computer. If you're using Microsoft's Internet Explorer, and if you've been visiting a wide variety of Web sites, that chance reaches close to certainty. And if you've ever clicked on a pop-up offer of any kind, including an offer to check for spyware, then you can assume you're infected.

After you're infected, you probably don't notice anything bad at first. And in many cases, nothing very bad does happen. Many spyware programs just report back on what Web sites you visit or what software you're running. But some report back your user names and passwords, checking account and credit card numbers, or even on the contents of your hard disk. [Click here for Full Story]

Raising Awareness Key To Thwarting Spyware (security pipeline) 01/17/05
A new study by InformationWeek Research on spam, spyware, and adware makes it clear that companies will have to rely on increasing user awareness about not opening suspicious-looking E-mails, visiting unfamiliar Web sites, or downloading and running "free" games and software from the Internet if they want to keep their PCs healthily humming along. With the majority of the 400 business-technology professionals surveyed confirming that their organizations have been the targets of spyware and adware in the last 12 months, and with respondents estimating that half the E-mail their organization receives is spam, user education must be a priority.

Considering the stealthy and insidious nature of spyware, it's not surprising that most of the respondents disagree that spyware would be less of a problem if users took the time to thoroughly read user agreements. Time would be better spent making sure employees understand the risks of what they might consider harmless activities. Home-office workers and road warriors come under particular scrutiny here. The majority of respondents believe employees working outside the protection of their corporate network's stringent security polices and firewalls place them at greater risk of getting infected with troublesome spyware. [Click here for Full Story]

Technology Turns the Tide on Spam (security pipeline) 01/17/05
Izak Mutlu, chief information security officer at Silicon Graphics Inc., sees that the amount of spam hitting his network has increased in recent months. But that means little to Mutlu, because spam filtering prevents most of that unwanted E-mail from landing in employee in-boxes. "We believe we have it under control and that we've seen the worst of spam," Mutlu says.

Is it possible we're starting to get the upper hand on spam? Mutlu isn't the only believer. Kevin Pollock, manager of data-center operations and network services at Fender Musical Instruments Corp., says spam was a problem at Fender two years ago. "We had a number of people trying the point solutions, individual software packages, [Microsoft] Outlook filtering," he says. But since Fender standardized on a spam-blocking technology, the problem has all but disappeared. [Click here for Full Story]

Spyware: Can Government Help? (security pipeline) 01/17/05
The Can-Spam law, which has been in effect for a year, hasn't had much success in squelching unsolicited E-mail. Earlier this month, MX Logic Inc., a messaging security firm that monitors compliance with the anti-spam legislation, reported that for 2004, an average of just 3% of unsolicited E-mail complied with the legislation's requirements, which range from legitimate return addresses to a way to opt out of further messages. Legal experts and business-technology professionals say they hope that laws aimed at reducing adware and spyware will fare somewhat better.

The states are on the move in crafting anti-spyware legislation. Last March, then Utah Gov. Olene Walker signed into law the Spyware Control Act, which bans the installation of spyware without the user's consent. At the start of this year, a similar law went into effect in California that enforces a $1,000 penalty per violation. As the 109th Congress convened this month, Rep. Mary Bono, R-Calif., also reintroduced her anti-spyware bill that includes civil fines up to $3 million for violators. [Click here for Full Story]

Companies Arm Themselves For New Fight Against Spyware (security pipeline) 01/17/05
The battle against spam and its spawn, spyware and adware, is escalating for Lynda Fleury, assistant VP and chief information security officer at UnumProvident Corp. A year ago, the $10 billion-a-year insurance provider received 2.6 million spam E-mails. By November, the number had nearly doubled to 4.8 million. As if trying to keep missives offering cheap Viagra or get-rich-quick schemes out of in-boxes weren't enough of a job, a steadily increasing onslaught of spyware and adware is further taxing IT resources. "People get so choked up with spyware, and then they place a call to the help desk," Fleury says. [Click here for Full Story]

Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware (Beta): Overview (Microsoft) 01/06/05
Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) is a security technology that helps protect Windows users from spyware and other potentially unwanted software. Known spyware on your PC can be detected and removed. This helps reduce negative effects caused by spyware, including slow PC performance, annoying pop-up ads, unwanted changes to Internet settings, and unauthorized use of your private information. Continuous protection improves Internet browsing safety by guarding more than 50 ways spyware can enter your PC. Participants in the worldwide SpyNet™ community play a key role in determining which suspicious programs are classified as spyware. Microsoft researchers quickly develop methods to counteract these threats, and updates are automatically downloaded to your PC so you stay up to date. [Click here for Full Story]

Security Software: Downloads and Trials (Microsoft) 01/13/05
Download antivirus software, firewalls, spyware removal tools, and more to improve the security of your computer and to help keep it running smoothly. From Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)

Get better protection against viruses, hackers, and worms. This service pack includes Windows Firewall, Pop-up Blocker for Internet Explorer, and the Windows Security Center. Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware (Beta)

Download our new anti-spyware software to help protect your PC from spyware and other potentially unwanted software. MSN Toolbar MSN Toolbar

Block pop-up ads with Pop-up Guard. Help prevent pop-up windows from appearing while you browse the Web (works with Windows 98 and later). [Click here for Website]

Special Report: Wipe Out Spyware (smallbiz pipeline) 01/11/05
Spyware is emerging as the biggest threat to privacy and productivity on the Internet. A recent study by America Online and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications found that 80 percent of PCs were infected by some form of spyware, and each infected PC had an average of 90 different spyware packages installed.

At best, spyware slows down PCs and makes them unstable. At worst, spyware can result in a serious information breach, resulting in identity theft for individuals, and disclosure of confidential and proprietary data for businesses.

We've put together a package of articles to help you identify and eliminate spyware from your individual PC and network. Bookmark this page for updates. [Click here for Full Story]

Webroot Enlists Bots To Fight Spyware (smallbiz pipeline) 01/11/05
Anti-spyware company Webroot Software Inc. Monday announced what it claims is the industry's first automated spyware research system. Called Phileas, the system relies on bots--computer programs that perform tasks in lieu of a person--that continually crawl the Web, looking for spyware, adware, and the sites that host such software.

Webroot plans to use the information gathered by Phileas to develop anti-spyware products that can better address new threats.

Like the antivirus industry, anti-spyware companies have traditionally developed signatures to block spyware. These are created by comparing the files on spam-infested machines against those on clean machines. [Click here for Full Story]

Hackers Use Media Player To Plant Massive Amounts Of Spyware (smallbiz pipeline) 01/11/05
Hackers are turning digital rights management features of Microsoft's Windows Media Player against users by fooling them into downloading massive amounts of spyware, adware, and viruses, security firms said Tuesday.

According to anti-virus vendor Panda Software, two new Trojan horses -- dubbed WmvDownloader.a and WmvDownloader.b -- have been planted in video files seeded to peer-to-peer file-sharing networks like eMule and KaZaA. The Trojans take advantage of the new anti-piracy features in Windows Media Player 10 and Windows XP SP2 to trick users, said Panda.

When a user tries to play a protected Windows media file, the anti-piracy technology demands a valid license; if that license is not stored locally, the player looks for it on the Internet so the user can download or purchase it. [Click here for Full Story]

First Look: Microsoft AntiSpyware 1.0 Beta (smallbiz pipeline) 01/10/05
By now you've probably heard that Microsoft intends to jump into both the anti-spyware and antivirus product categories by offering Windows utilities that will reportedly be free for download. Last Friday, Microsoft offered its first version of the anti-spyware program it purchased from Giant Company Software in December, Microsoft AntiSpyware 1.0 Beta. If you use Windows 2000 or later, you can download it and try it for yourself from this Microsoft Downloads page. For more on the news about Microsoft AntiSpyware and reactions from companies like Symantec, see Microsoft Debuts Beta Anti-Spyware Software.

I spent two hours over the weekend putting Microsoft AntiSpyware through its paces with a test machine that, conveniently, has been cruising the Internet almost daily for six months without spyware protection. I downloaded the latest versions of Ad-Aware SE and Spybot - Search & Destroy, since they're both free and in wide usage. Here are my conclusions. [Click here for Full Story]

Keep Spyware Off Your Business Network (smallbiz pipeline) 01/10/05
Spyware is challenging spam and viruses for the top spot on IT worry lists. Spyware poses considerable threats and risks to enterprise networks and remediation and countermeasures are now being regarded as critical to network security.

How Spyware Threatens Enterprises Spyware is defined as covertly installed software that hijacks web browsers, invades Internet user privacy, displays unsolicited and offensive advertising, and impedes PC performance.

The most commonly cited spyware issues worrying enterprise IT staff are loss of productivity and increased helpdesk costs; liability associated with privacy violations; intellectual property theft, information and premature disclosure; and loss of credibility and damage to brand. [Click here for Full Story]

Microsoft App Aims to Attach Spyware (Information Week) 01/10/05
Spyware will be one of the top security threats business-technology professionals face this year. Last week, Microsoft joined a number of vendors jumping into the anti-spyware market with the beta release of its Windows AntiSpyware application.

Microsoft estimates that one-third of PC crashes can be attributed to spyware infections, says Amy Carroll, director of Microsoft's security business unit. Dell has placed the number of tech support calls attributed to spyware at around 15%.

Spyware and adware have become as much, if not more, of a problem than viruses, says Mark Sidden, IT director at textile provider Unifi Inc. "Most of the antivirus applications are fairly mature. That's not true yet with spyware solutions," he says. "The spyware problem caught security vendors off-guard. It'll be a year or more before the tools are probably ready for large businesses." [Click here for Full Story]

House Again Shoots For Spyware Law (Information Week) 01/07/05
Rep. Mary Bono (R-Calif.) reintroduced her anti-spyware bill as the 109th Congress convened earlier this week. Last year's edition of the bill made it through the House, but was stymied by the Senate.

Dubbed the "Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass Act" (SPY ACT), Bono's bill would prohibit a wide range of spyware- and adware-style activities, including keyboard logging, home page hijacking, and persistent on-screen ads. SPY ACT would also forbid practices such as collecting information without the user's consent or intentionally diverting a browser from its intended destination, and requires software to offer up a "no thanks" dialog so installation can't be done without consumers' knowledge. Programs must also have an easy-to-find uninstall option.

Violators could face civil fines up to $3 million. [Click here for Full Story]

Microsoft Debuts Beta Anti-Spyware Software (Information Week) 01/06/05
Microsoft has released a public beta of its Windows AntiSpyware application, based on technology it acquired last month when it bought Giant Company Software Inc. Microsoft also says it will release a malicious software removal tool Jan. 11.

Windows AntiSpyware will help reduce the problems caused by spyware that plague Web surfers: poor PC performance, pop-up ads, and altered Internet settings, says Amy Carroll, director of Microsoft's security business unit. The software will run on Microsoft's Windows 2000 operating system and higher. Microsoft estimates spyware causes roughly one-third of all system crashes, Carroll says.

The malicious-software-removal tool will help users remove viruses and worms, such as Blaster and Download.Ject, once PCs have become infected. The virus- and worm-cleaning tool will be updated monthly, or as needed if a fast-spreading outbreak occurs, Carroll says. [Click here for Full Story]

Report: Microsoft's Anti-Spyware Beta To Debut Thursday (smallbiz pipeline) 01/04/05
Microsoft will roll out the first beta of its anti-spyware software Thursday, Jan. 6, according to a leaked internal memo published by the Neowin Web site.

Last month, Microsoft acquired New York-based Giant Company Software and its anti-spyware technology, and immediately said it would push out a beta of its first spyware defense in January.

According to Neowin, the beta, internally dubbed "Atlanta" has been distributed within Microsoft, and will be released as either a public beta or a private, external beta Thursday. In an internal memo, Microsoft called Atlanta "new, fresh, and all good," reported Neowin. [Click here for Full Story]

Accidental IT: Spyware, Spyware, Everywhere (smallbiz pipeline) 01/04/05
Every day in your workplace, the curses get louder. Unwanted pop-up ads, slow computers, PCs that crash all the time. Despite the network firewall and the anti-virus software installed on the server and every computer, your office is infested with spyware.

You've read the news stories. You know that spyware is not only annoying, it's dangerous. It's certainly affecting productivity, and it could also be recording the keystrokes of everyone in your office right now, discovering logins, passwords, company secrets. Long story short, you need to get rid of it. Now. [Click here for Full Story]

What you can do about spyware and other unwanted software Part 1: What is spyware? (Microsoft) 09/29/04
Spyware is a general term used for software that performs certain behaviors such as advertising, collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your computer, generally without appropriately obtaining your consent. You might have spyware or other unwanted software on your computer if: [Click here for website]

What you can do about spyware and other unwanted software Part 2: Signs of spyware? (Microsoft) 09/29/04
If your computer starts to behave strangely or displays any of the symptoms listed below, you may have spyware or other unwanted software installed on your computer.

• I see pop-up advertisements all the time.
• My settings have changed and I can't change them back to the way they were.
• My Web browser contains additional components that I don't remember downloading.
• My computer seems sluggish.
[Click here for website]

What you can do about spyware and other unwanted software Part 3: How to get rid of spyware (Microsoft) 09/29/04
Many kinds of unwanted software, including spyware, are designed to be difficult to remove. If you try to uninstall this software like any other program, you might find that the program reappears as soon as you restart your computer. If you're having trouble uninstalling unwanted software, you may need to download a tool to do the job for you. Several companies offer free and low-cost software that will check your computer for spyware and other unwanted software and help you remove it. [Click here for website]

What you can do about spyware and other unwanted software Part 4: How to prevent spyware (Microsoft) 09/29/04
Spyware and other unwanted software can invade your privacy, bombard you with pop-up windows, slow down your computer, and even make your computer crash. Here are several ways you can help protect your computer against spyware and other unwanted software.

• Step 1: Update your software
• Step 2: Adjust Internet Explorer security settings
• Step 3: Use a firewall
• Step 4: Surf and download more safely
[Click here for website]

What you should know about spyware (Microsoft) 04/16/04
Spyware is software that collects personal information from you without first letting you know what it's doing and without letting you decide whether this is OK or not. The information spyware collects can range from all the Web sites you visit to more sensitive information like usernames and passwords. You might be the target of spyware if you download music from file-sharing programs, free games from sites you don't trust, or other software programs from an unknown source.  [Click here for website]