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 Recent report shows 26 instances of spyware per Internet-connected PC
October 6, 2004
As the latest audit conducted cooperatively by a major U.S. Internet Service Provider EarthLink Corp., and a computer security firm Webroot Software revealed, the average Internet-enabled PC hosts 26 spyware programs. The scope of the problem is so big, that even Microsoft's Bill Gates said: "This malware thing is so bad" when he discovered that his home PC has been hit by a spyware.
For the year to date, out of more than three million consumer PCs surveyed, the study found 83 million instances of spyware, an average of 26 spyware codes per Internet-connected machine, a situation that reflects an increasing bombardment by malicious software. When it comes to categorizing the spyware, 78 per cent of it falls into adware cookies, 21% represented by the adware, the remaining fraction comprised of System Monitors and Trojans.
Spyware is a type of software that, like other forms of malware, most often afflicts users of Windows. Usually, it installs itself -- often surreptitiously -- on systems after users visit certain Web sites, or may arrive bundled with freeware or shareware, or through e-mail or instant messages. The programs are difficult to remove and may cause computers to run slowly or even crash. Once installed, spyware engages in a variety of objectionable and nefarious behaviors such as monitoring system activities and keystrokes, sending the information it collects back to its authors, forcing the appearance of unsolicited advertising, and hijacking system settings such as the browser's default search engine.
Spyware programs hide in PCs and secretly monitor user activity. At times, they can even be dangerous because some pop-up programs can steal passwords.
"Spyware remains a serious problem for consumers. But the upside is that consumer awareness of the threats posed by spyware is rising," David Moll, CEO of Webroot, said in a statement.One of the programs made by his company, called Spy Sweeper, was recently reviewed in our Software Reviews section.
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