Spyware Detection

Have you noticed anything strange in your browser behavior lately? Every time you activate your Internet Browser, a small program called a Browser Helper Object starts to execute. This BHO is installed by another program or utility in your computer system. The BHO tracks/monitors all the advertisements and sites that you observe while surfing the net. Most BHOs are also known as “adware” or “spyware”. They track/monitor all kinds of sensitive information about you and send all this data to the people who developed them in the first place.

You will find many companies offering free spyware detection facilities using a variety of spyware detection software. Spyware is a general term used for software program that performs certain nefarious activities such as collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your computer without your consent or knowledge. The appellation - spy ware or adware is usually associated with software that displays ads or software that collate personal information which may be of a sensitive nature.

A Dialer is software is one that gets installed in your computer and has the ability to make phone calls from your computer without your knowledge in case you have a modem connected. A dialer will connect you to another computer via your phone line and you will be charged for the span of time your computer is connected to the net.

The Signs of Infection

Spyware, adware or hijackers and dialers basically affect your computer system in a very destructive way. The most common way to get infected is by overlooking to install proper security settings in your browser. Therefore, every computer system should be installed with a spyware detection/removal software. The common symptoms of being infected with spyware are -

The Browser Home Page is changed

The home page is the page which the browser displays the minute you open it. Some Internet Service Providers also offer to redirect their customer’s first web access to their own portal. This unwanted software has the expertise to alter or snatch your web page or search page to an alternate page, something that you don’t require. Such programs also make it extremely difficult to revert back to the original home page.

Browser Redirects

This is a tool that allows the creation of a page which detects the visitor’s browser and accordingly loads a page depending on the browser used. To be more precise, the browser redirect will be asked to redirect a file, folder, a network share, or a program in Internet information service. As and when a browser requests a page on a web site, the web server will find the page that is identified by the URL, and then will return to the browser. The Internet Information Service is used to redirect the client computer request to a new location even if the user does not wish it that way.

Browser Pops Ads

Pop-up ads are a kind of online advertising on the World Wide Web designed to nab email addresses and increase web traffic / capture email addresses. Whenever a new web browser window is opened on a web site for advertisement displays, the pop up materializes. This in turn opens a browser window just behind the active window. All this really makes it difficult to determine the web site which has opened in the first place and caused high damage.