One way of reducing your risk of exploitation is to go to Tools->Internet Usually a handful of security holes that have not yet been corrected, so you You can do your best to guard against this byĮnsuring you have the latest updates and patches from Microsoft. To be possible, but are due to mistakes in the browser code.
Holes in Internet Explorer, ways of getting code to run that are not supposed Particularly homepage-hijackers and dialers, execute by exploiting security Whose name appears on the download prompt - nothing more.
Means only that the company that wrote the software is the same as the company ‘MicrosoftĪuthenticode’, signed by companies like Verisign, Opening endless error windows if you click ‘No’, or claiming that the digitalĬertificate on the code means it is safe. Sometimes sites (or pop-up ads) try to fool you intoĬlicking ‘Yes’ by stating that the software is necessary to view the site, or Of the web site you are viewed - read the dialogue box very carefully. Sure you trust the publisher of the software, which might not be the publisher ‘Yes’ to a “Do you wish to download and install.” prompt unless you are 100% If ‘Yes’ isĬlicked (or if IE security settings are set lower than normal so that it neverĮven asks *), the software is allowed to run and can doĪnything on our computer, including installing parasites. Program, a window will appear asking the user wishes to execute it. When a web page includes a link to an ActiveX Many parasites load using Internet Explorer’sĪctiveX installation option.
So always read the license agreement when you install andĭon’t just click Next-Next-Next. When you install the software it will warn you about this, and it is sometimes Often if you are careful to read the small print The P2P file-sharing programsĪre notorious for this in particular, iMesh and Grokster come with countless unwanted add-ons. Parasites, which are installed at the same time. Some freeware programs are ‘bundled’ with.There are three major ways unsolicited commercial software can make its way No uninstall feature, and put the code in unexpected and hidden places to to download and run software on your machine The makers of the software - or, in particularly bad cases, anyone at all ISDN) call premium-rate phone numbers (‘dialers’) Search settings to point to the makers’ sites (generally loaded withĪdvertising), and prevent you from changing it back (‘homepage Pages, for which the author does not get paid, and redirect the paymentsįrom affiliate-fee schemes to the makers of the software (such software is On-line and send information back to marketing companies (‘ spyware’) Unsolicited commercial software can typically:
This problem has grown enormously, and millions of computers are affected. Unsolicited commercial software is a program that gets installed on yourĬomputer that you never asked for, and which does something you probably don’t Movements, and reveal them to others so that they may use these actions against All are meant to do one thing, record your Is important to protect individual privacy from a simple virus, Spybot Trojans and malicious programming code to the latest