SPAM: Not just for Dinner Anymore
SPAM is a salty, canned meat composed of chipped pork shoulder, ham and – for that special zing – Sodium Nitrate (a compound used in fertilizers, explosives and glass). SPAM, as we know it, is delicious. Spam (and cookies and Spyware), however, can butcher your computer.
What is SPAM?
Spam is an indiscriminate, unsolicited message – usually of a commercial nature – sent to mass mailing lists, computer networks or news groups. Spam is cheap, irrelevant to our lifestyles and easy to create: according to a research firm in Palo Alto, CA, “spam [was] expected to account for 45% of the 10.9 trillion messages sent around the world in 2003.” Spammers use specialized software to automatically extract email / IP addresses and screen names from heavy hitters like MySpace and AOL Instant Messenger. An alternative M.O. – known as “dictionary attack” software – allows Spammers access to email addresses by opening a connection to their desired server and extracting millions of email addresses. This software then extracts the “live” (valid) email addresses and adds them to the Spammer’s list. These addresses are then spread like a plague from Spammer to Spammer.
How can I get rid of it?
Most spam-blocking software works by identifying specific words in the subject line (e.g. “XXX,” “Sex” or “Free”). Sneaky Spammers, however, can easily sidestep this barrier by fumbling words (e.g. “S-E-X”). Unfortunately, most of this basic software prevents valid messages from reaching your inbox: say you want to receive a recipe for fried chicken breasts; Spam blocking software might delete it because “breasts” is in the subject line. Large ISPs created “white lists” to identify legit messages, but Spammers jumped the axiomatic fence by putting bogus characters into their subject lines – this why you receive emails with subject lines like “Fre*%e Coupons.” The best way to ensure the bulk of Spam never reaches your computer is to install Heuristic or Bayesian filters – software that identifies Spam by recording word patterns or frequencies. You can block Spam sent through Web-based providers (ie. Yahoo! or MSN) by tagging each unwanted message as such. Similar messages – or those sent by the same organization – will be blocked indefinitely.
What are cookies?
Cookies are bits of data sent by an outside server to your Web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer). They authenticate IDs, retain personal information and track browser behavior and are sent, unchanged, back to the server (e.g. Amazon.com) each time you access it. While cookies, by nature, are unable to perform operations, they – especially if “stolen” by malicious sites – can infringe on your privacy, threaten security and, if not accepted, make some Websites or site features (e.g. virtual shopping carts) unavailable.
How can I get rid of them?
You can easily control cookies by adjusting (or setting) your browser’s privacy level to Medium High. This level blocks 3rd party cookies that don’t have compact security policies and/or use personally identifiable information without your explicit consent. A Medium High setting also chokes 1st party cookies that use personally identifiable information without your implicit consent. Clearing cookies from your hard drive (through Control Panel / Internet Options / General / “delete cookies”) is also helpful.
What is Spyware?
Spyware is a contemptible type of software that companies employ to collect personal information for monetary gain. Spyware (unlike the Internet, which was invented by Al Gore) was introduced in 1995 by Zone Labs and is synonymous with Ad (vertising) and Mal (icious)-ware. This software gathers your information by logging your keystrokes, Website history and by scanning the documents on your hard drive. Its purpose varies; some organizations use it criminally, while others use it simply to create more targeted advertising. Spyware can enter your system disguised as security software or by “piggybacking” on desirable software (e.g. iTunes). And while Spyware doesn’t open the door for viruses, it does generate unwanted CPU activity, annoying pop-up ads, disk use and network traffic. It can also cause problems logging on to the Internet – all of which will significantly slow your system.
How can I get rid of it?
Programs such as Ad-Aware and Spybot Search & Destroy are free (available on www.downloads.com) programs that scan your hard drive and remove malicious software. Spybot S&D has won numerous awards and is recommended by CNet, MSNBC and the Wall Street Journal. Firewalls and alternative Internet browsers (e.g. Mozilla Firefox – which is known for having fewer security vulnerabilities than Internet Explorer) can also help ward off Spyware.