Vic C.
Member
Spyware, Adware, Hijackers and Other Pests
Definitions
One of the first definitions of "Spyware" came from Steve Gibson: "any software which employs a user's Internet connection in the background (the so-called "backchannel") without their knowledge or explicit permission. Silent background use of an Internet "backchannel" connection must be preceded by a complete and truthful disclosure of proposed backchannel usage, followed by the receipt of explicit, informed, consent for such use. Any software communicating across the Internet absent these elements is guilty of information theft and is properly and rightfully termed: Spyware."
Today, the word has broadened and shifted in meaning. "Spyware" is an emotionally charged word, and often means different things to different people. Sometimes the term is used to mean Adware, or Browser Helper Object or Hijacker or Trojan, but in all cases, the user of the word is referring to software that they did not intend to introduce to their machine, do not want, and are having trouble removing.
Here are definitions for these common terms.
Adware: "Software that brings targeted ads to your computer, after you provide initial consent for this task. Some Adware may hijack the ads of other companies, replacing them with its own. Adware typically will track your browsing habits and report this info to a central ad server."
Browser Helper Object (BHO): "A component that Internet Explorer will load whenever it starts, shares IE's memory context, can perform any action on the available windows and modules. A BHO can detect events, create windows to display additional information on a viewed page, monitor messages and actions. Microsoft calls it "a spy we send to infiltrate the browser's land." There are many exploits of this technology which search all pages you view in IE and replace banner advertisements with other ads, monitor and report on your actions, change your home page, etc."
Hijacker: "A trojan that may reset your browser's home page and/or search settings to point to other sites. Such sites are sometimes porn sites, often loaded with advertisting. Homepage Hijackers may prevent you from changing your browser's homepage or from visiting a particular site."
Spyware: "Any product that employs a user's Internet connection in the background without their knowledge, and gathers/transmits info on the user or their behavior. Many spyware products will collect referrer info (information from your web browser which reveals what URL you linked from), your IP address (a number that is used by computers on the network to identify your computer), system information (such as time of visit, type of browser used, the operating system and platform, and CPU speed.) Spyware products sometimes wrap other commercial products, and are introduced to machines when those commercial products are installed."
Trojan: "Unwanted software which runs in a user's machine, as an agent of the attacker, without user awareness. Unlike viruses and worms, trojans do not replicate (make copies of themselves.)"
Internet Intruders are here defined as unwanted software that is installed while surfing the Internet, and that typically uses the Internet in the process of exploiting the user and the user's machine. Typically such software is installed without the user's full awareness of the consequences of such an install (although the user might have been given some notice of what would happen).
Such software is typically difficult to manually detect, and difficult to remove. It usually compromises some combination of the user's privacy, the confidentiality of the user's information, or the user's productivity. Productivity is compromised when frequent ads popup, when bandwidth and storage space is consumed, when pages load more slowly, etc. In this tabulation, 'Internet Invaders' are the aggregate of pests that are categorized elsewhere as Adware, AOL Pest, Browser Helper Object, Dialer, Downloader, Firewall Killer, Hijacker, Hostile ActiveX, Hostile Java, Hostile Script, IRC War, Key Logger, Notifier, Password Capture, P2P, RAT, and Spyware. Definitions.
Internet Intruders are all unwanted, and for a variety of reasons. Consider this summary and draw your own conclusions:
http://pestpatrol.com/Support/About/About_Spyware.asp
Definitions
One of the first definitions of "Spyware" came from Steve Gibson: "any software which employs a user's Internet connection in the background (the so-called "backchannel") without their knowledge or explicit permission. Silent background use of an Internet "backchannel" connection must be preceded by a complete and truthful disclosure of proposed backchannel usage, followed by the receipt of explicit, informed, consent for such use. Any software communicating across the Internet absent these elements is guilty of information theft and is properly and rightfully termed: Spyware."
Today, the word has broadened and shifted in meaning. "Spyware" is an emotionally charged word, and often means different things to different people. Sometimes the term is used to mean Adware, or Browser Helper Object or Hijacker or Trojan, but in all cases, the user of the word is referring to software that they did not intend to introduce to their machine, do not want, and are having trouble removing.
Here are definitions for these common terms.
Adware: "Software that brings targeted ads to your computer, after you provide initial consent for this task. Some Adware may hijack the ads of other companies, replacing them with its own. Adware typically will track your browsing habits and report this info to a central ad server."
Browser Helper Object (BHO): "A component that Internet Explorer will load whenever it starts, shares IE's memory context, can perform any action on the available windows and modules. A BHO can detect events, create windows to display additional information on a viewed page, monitor messages and actions. Microsoft calls it "a spy we send to infiltrate the browser's land." There are many exploits of this technology which search all pages you view in IE and replace banner advertisements with other ads, monitor and report on your actions, change your home page, etc."
Hijacker: "A trojan that may reset your browser's home page and/or search settings to point to other sites. Such sites are sometimes porn sites, often loaded with advertisting. Homepage Hijackers may prevent you from changing your browser's homepage or from visiting a particular site."
Spyware: "Any product that employs a user's Internet connection in the background without their knowledge, and gathers/transmits info on the user or their behavior. Many spyware products will collect referrer info (information from your web browser which reveals what URL you linked from), your IP address (a number that is used by computers on the network to identify your computer), system information (such as time of visit, type of browser used, the operating system and platform, and CPU speed.) Spyware products sometimes wrap other commercial products, and are introduced to machines when those commercial products are installed."
Trojan: "Unwanted software which runs in a user's machine, as an agent of the attacker, without user awareness. Unlike viruses and worms, trojans do not replicate (make copies of themselves.)"
Internet Intruders are here defined as unwanted software that is installed while surfing the Internet, and that typically uses the Internet in the process of exploiting the user and the user's machine. Typically such software is installed without the user's full awareness of the consequences of such an install (although the user might have been given some notice of what would happen).
Such software is typically difficult to manually detect, and difficult to remove. It usually compromises some combination of the user's privacy, the confidentiality of the user's information, or the user's productivity. Productivity is compromised when frequent ads popup, when bandwidth and storage space is consumed, when pages load more slowly, etc. In this tabulation, 'Internet Invaders' are the aggregate of pests that are categorized elsewhere as Adware, AOL Pest, Browser Helper Object, Dialer, Downloader, Firewall Killer, Hijacker, Hostile ActiveX, Hostile Java, Hostile Script, IRC War, Key Logger, Notifier, Password Capture, P2P, RAT, and Spyware. Definitions.
Internet Intruders are all unwanted, and for a variety of reasons. Consider this summary and draw your own conclusions:
http://pestpatrol.com/Support/About/About_Spyware.asp