Do yourself a favor (re: spyware)

Locked
jamoo
buyin' a studio
Posts: 861
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2003 5:21 pm
Location: sun children awake

Do yourself a favor (re: spyware)

Post by jamoo » Fri Feb 04, 2005 12:00 pm

I had 18 different "problems" on my computer, mostly internet cookies going to these so called "metrics" firms.

Spyware is nasty. Here are some links:

http://www.spychecker.com/software/free ... tispy.html

User avatar
Mr. Dipity
carpal tunnel
Posts: 1528
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2003 11:29 am

Re: Do yourself a favor (re: spyware)

Post by Mr. Dipity » Fri Feb 04, 2005 12:03 pm

sonichue wrote:I had 18 different "problems" on my computer, mostly internet cookies going to these so called "metrics" firms.

Spyware is nasty. Here are some links:

http://www.spychecker.com/software/free ... tispy.html
Cookies really aren't problems per se, though they are an intrusion of privacy.

Rigsby
mixes from purgatory
Posts: 2908
Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2004 12:34 am
Location: London, England
Contact:

Re: Do yourself a favor (re: spyware)

Post by Rigsby » Fri Feb 04, 2005 12:24 pm

Hmmm...cookies.
The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away.

rigsbysmith.com

User avatar
bad_dude_69
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 681
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2004 8:40 pm
Location: Chicago - IL

Re: Do yourself a favor (re: spyware)

Post by bad_dude_69 » Fri Feb 04, 2005 12:48 pm

cool, thanks. i've found that lavasoft adaware in conjunction with spybot s&d (both free) is the best combination for addressing mild to moderate spyware infestations. if you're getting popups without even opening your browser window or if your homepage spontaneously changes to some obscure search engine, you've developed a moderate to serious spyware problem.
medicate? oh, i thought you said "meditate."

Wilkesin
steve albini likes it
Posts: 367
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 12:03 pm

Re: Do yourself a favor (re: spyware)

Post by Wilkesin » Fri Feb 04, 2005 2:02 pm

Or you could stop using internet explorer, start using Firefox, look at all the porn you want and not have any problems.

User avatar
ottokbre
deaf.
Posts: 1996
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 8:54 am
Location: sanfranzizko

Re: Do yourself a favor (re: spyware)

Post by ottokbre » Fri Feb 04, 2005 2:36 pm

....or buy a mac.

User avatar
Mr. Dipity
carpal tunnel
Posts: 1528
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2003 11:29 am

Re: Do yourself a favor (re: spyware)

Post by Mr. Dipity » Fri Feb 04, 2005 2:45 pm

ottokbre wrote:....or buy a mac.
Ahh, the ticking time bomb.

The days until a really nasty mac virus hits the wild are numbered - the only issue is determing a method of distribution. Once someone finds a creative solution to this social engineering problem, the entire mac community is going to be caught with its pants down.

Keep in mind, there were more critical security alerts last year for the Unix environment, than for Windows.

JASIII
george martin
Posts: 1418
Joined: Fri Dec 26, 2003 8:59 am
Location: On the Tundra

Re: Do yourself a favor (re: spyware)

Post by JASIII » Fri Feb 04, 2005 3:03 pm

Firefox rules, but you still need to check for cookies and trojan horses, etc
"If you will starve unless you become a rock star, then you have bigger problems than whether or not you are a rock star. " - Steve Albini

User avatar
Scodiddly
genitals didn't survive the freeze
Posts: 3958
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2003 6:38 am
Location: Mundelein, IL, USA
Contact:

Re: Do yourself a favor (re: spyware)

Post by Scodiddly » Fri Feb 04, 2005 11:35 pm

sserendipity wrote:
ottokbre wrote:....or buy a mac.
Ahh, the ticking time bomb.

The days until a really nasty mac virus hits the wild are numbered - the only issue is determing a method of distribution. Once someone finds a creative solution to this social engineering problem, the entire mac community is going to be caught with its pants down.

Keep in mind, there were more critical security alerts last year for the Unix environment, than for Windows.
Two things...

One is that Windows has much poorer security than Unix. It's just weak design from Microsoft. Even the word processor (MS Word) can catch viruses!

The other is that Microsoft is less forthcoming on security alerts, and also takes longer to fix them. Try tracking the lifespan of a critical security hole under Windows vs. Unix, and you'll see a Unix patch show up in day or two, vs. several days at best for Windows.


Bottom line, and I'm speaking as somebody with a degree in Computer Science and 10 years of programming experience, is that Mac/Unix/Linux is easily more secure than Windows, and there will never be the same kind of virus problem in Macs that Windows has.

Tim Casey
pushin' record
Posts: 290
Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2004 1:16 pm
Location: Boston, MA
Contact:

Re: Do yourself a favor (re: spyware)

Post by Tim Casey » Sat Feb 05, 2005 5:46 am

Agreed. I haven't had a virus on my Macs yet - ten years and going strong.

User avatar
penelec
steve albini likes it
Posts: 312
Joined: Thu May 08, 2003 6:08 pm
Location: Nyack, NY

Re: Do yourself a favor (re: spyware)

Post by penelec » Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:14 am

sserendip's point, though, is that Macs are secure only because they're not a worthwhile target. Hackers hack because they want to watch their viruses make the news, and viruses only make news when they shut down businesses and make people lose money. It doesn't matter if Macs had 49% of the business market -- as long as a majority of biz users are on using Windows, that's what hackers will target.

I do agree it's a timebomb. While MacOS/Unix/Linux is more secure, it's not totally secure, and eventually someone will do some malicious damage. It's not really very prudent for me to just think 'I'm safe 'cause I've never been hacked." I still back everything up all the time.

Before the whole Hong Kong thing, I never really backed up my data.










That sounds kinda anal-retentive. Sorry.

User avatar
jmiller
steve albini likes it
Posts: 396
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 12:53 am
Location: North Hollywood, on Radford near the In-N-Out

Re: Do yourself a favor (re: spyware)

Post by jmiller » Sun Feb 06, 2005 3:59 am

I heard recently that the navigation systems in the new lexus' have viruses. Could be BS, though. I'm sure cell phones aren't that far off...

User avatar
Scodiddly
genitals didn't survive the freeze
Posts: 3958
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2003 6:38 am
Location: Mundelein, IL, USA
Contact:

Re: Do yourself a favor (re: spyware)

Post by Scodiddly » Sun Feb 06, 2005 4:13 am

jmiller wrote:I heard recently that the navigation systems in the new lexus' have viruses. Could be BS, though. I'm sure cell phones aren't that far off...
It's been documented that the "call for help" feature in OnStar systems (GM, right?) can be used to bug conversations inside the car. As long as you're not actually talking to the the OnStar operator, they can just turn on the mic and listen to you. :shock:

Locked

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests