1 in 3 PCs infected with Spyware
 

BCS sent this link in their Bulletin. Interesting. The forums that I'm a member of seem to bear this out - lots of "help I've got..." threads :)

http://software.silicon.com/malware/...9121448,00.htm

Re: 1 in 3 PCs infected with Spyware
 

id have said it was a lot higher than that

Re: 1 in 3 PCs infected with Spyware
 

I'm not too sure about Trojan horses but, from my experience, I'm a little surprised that the figure for system monitor spyware is not higher.

EDIT In fact, I'd guess that the figure for PCs that have no protection is nearer 100%.

Re: 1 in 3 PCs infected with Spyware
 

I never seem to get these things - quite a few dodgy cookies but that's about it. I feel so left out :D

Re: 1 in 3 PCs infected with Spyware
 

I'd totally agree with this. Mother in law has two PCs (desktop and laptop) and both were riddled with baddies when I visited the other week. They are now all clean thanks to the help of some of the members here :)

Neither has any kind of antivirus software and they only have a firewall because the Blaster worm was physically preventing her from using them.

Re: 1 in 3 PCs infected with Spyware
 

It's hard to believe that despite all the warnings there are still people who run their PC unpatched, without a firewall, with no spyware checking, and with no virus scanner. Ignorance is bliss :)

Re: 1 in 3 PCs infected with Spyware
 

It winds me up when I go to fix a PC and have to spend ages sorting out all the viruses AND spyware first....

Needless to say I charge them extra for that part :)

Re: 1 in 3 PCs infected with Spyware
 

It still amuses me that that the only time I've had an encounter with a virus was when I was working for my Uni. Infected my work PC. All the security and virus scanners didn't make a bit of difference - the worm originated internally and there was no security against internal attacks :D Carry on Screaming - when they're barricading the door but the monster has smashed through the wall and is lending them a hand with the barricade :D Every other PC in the open access labs had spyware and adware of some sort - technicians were just fire fighting.

Re: 1 in 3 PCs infected with Spyware
 

My record to date was a friends PC, I left it running adaware after the number of spyware etc infections went past 200 :( Went back to it 20 mins later and scrubbed it all out, 1 week later it was back up to 95, the browser was locked down and certain tools were installed ;)

Should we be worried ?
 

Well I know I am slightly concerned, I have just read this.

I sometimes use online banking, but after having read that I am having second thoughts again !, as for drive by downloads........ I wonder how many people fall for that..........very worrying indeed.

I regularly scan for spyware, but I am never really 100% satisfied that the job is done, or that new spyware is beating the system.

Anyone got any re-assuring comments ?

Or is this stuff just old hat that most savvy PC users are aware of ?

Anyone seen this?
 

From CNET
Don't know how new this is but....

Re: Should we be worried ?
 

no mention in that article of spyware blaster a very handy tool for stopping the spyware from getting onto the pc in the first place which is so often overlooked.

Re: Should we be worried ?
 

Doh! I think I just posted the same story in another thread, must learn to type faster lol Think its based around the new and as yet unpatched vulnerability in internet explorer that has just been found.
*awaits the thread merge LOL*

Re: Should we be worried ?
 

This is also a cause for concern, the author of CWS shredder is basically throwing in the towel.
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...90&postcount=6

Re: Anyone seen this?
 

Glad I dont bank online.

Re: Should we be worried ?
 

I posted about it here http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...ad.php?t=13887

Safe to say that the machines infected with spyware aren't likely to be owned by those who know what they're doing with PC. I.e. it's the muppets again :)

Re: Should we be worried ?
 

I'll give that a go MB..............thanks :tu:

Re: Should we be worried ?
 

From the shredder site:

That exploit is patchable - i.e. if users patched in the first place they wouldn't need tools to remove nasties :)

Re: Anyone seen this?
 

It's old news (to me anyway) being that it was out last week

http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/padodorw.shtml
http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/scob.shtml
http://www.microsoft.com/security/in...load_ject.mspx

I still say the best defence is the MK-I grey matter, and being safely paranoid about what you let in.

Disable Active-X, Spyware Blaster, Registry Monitor, Startup Manager, etc,etc etc

Re: [Merged]Online banking - Should we be worried? (Spyware)
 

What I tend to do, besides making sure AV and spyware checkers are up to date and used regularly, is to use a password rememberer (AiRoboform) to automatically enter user name and password on sites and then modify the entered data by manually adding the bits missing from the saved data. For example username saved on AiRoboform may be "myname" but I then manually alter this to "myname36ad" by adding "36ad" to the already filled in data. Hopefully this will confuse any new keylogger that may have crept onto my system.

Re: Anyone seen this?
 

I'm glad I don't use IE (Netscape/Mozilla only for years now).

Oh and I rarely use windows other than for playing counterstrike.

Linux+Mozilla Thunderbird+Software firewall+h/w firewall+64bit WEP= no viruses/trojans/malware/spyware for me thanks :)

Re: 1 in 3 PCs infected with Spyware
 

Had a customer recently whose PC had 518 malware entries (discovered by AdAware) and 69 viruses !!! :shocked:

Needless to say it had slowed to a crawl !! :rolleyes:

I couldn't get rid of all the infections despite numerous attempts. :mad:

I installed Adaware, Spywareblaster and recommended AvastAV.

Her AVG hadn't been updated since install a year ago ! :dozey:

Re: [Merged]Online banking - Should we be worried? (Spyware)
 

I've been neglecting my mum's PC. Tried doing a Windows Update on her main PC but it wouldn't run. Something very odd had happened to all the certificates - whole lot had vanished. Poof. She's a fiddler - you know the sort of user I mean. Can't wait til the expert gets there - has to have a go herself. Can she remember what she did? Can she hell. Anyways, I had to install IE 6, then do an update. All this on dial-up. Ended up walking half the way home. Paled a bit when I discovered the firewall (Zone Alarm) was ancient, so that's down for upgrade, though not to version 5. Gonna install a few other bits and pieces, then tackle the laptop. It's Windows ME. Anything could happen.