[SpamCop-List] Cleaning up and preventing malware (was mypctuneup.com)

[Brian]

Jeff wrote:
> That's SO NICE of these people to install software spy software on my computer without my permission
> and then offer a website with a free uninstall.  I just noticed this crap in my Add/Remove Programs
> listing, and when I clicked on it, it wouldn't uninstall without a connection to the internet.  Then
> it made me answer some questions and tried to pressure me to NOT uninstall the software and when I
> finally insisted on unintalling, it takes you to http://www.mypctuneup.com where you have to
> download more software to do the uninstall.  I can't believe this is not illegal. The FAQ on this
> website claims that I gave them permission to install their spy software which I most certainly did
> not.
> 
> Jeff
> 
> 

This is happening on a major scale. Your computer has become infected 
with malware. Damn this pisses me off. It's very similar to my business 
name.

Malware is a generic term for any software program designed to cause 
harm to your computer or for financial gain for the attacker. There are 
many kinds of malware – viruses, spyware, Trojans, worms, keyloggers, 
dialers and other types of threats to your computer or your financial 
wellbeing.

Malware is used to create zombie PCs which are computers that are 
controlled by criminals for use in numerous illegal activities, without 
the owner realizing it. What is usually noticed is that the PC is 
sluggish, web pages or programs take a longer time to load, a sudden or 
repeated change of your Internet home page, new and unexpected toolbars, 
the web pages you try to go to end up being something else, being 
inundated with popup ads, your PC locks up or crashes often, keys that 
don’t work, and numerous other signs that your computer has been 
infected with malware.

If your computer is a zombie, it can be accessed by hackers. Your 
computer could then be used to send out spam, which could cause you to 
loose your Internet access. It could be used to attack a website for 
extortion in what is referred to as a Distributed Denial of Service 
(DDoS) attack. This could cause you to face not just the loss of your 
Internet access, but possible criminal or financial penalties.

Many zombie computers are also used for identity theft. Keyloggers can 
send your bank, eBay or PayPal usernames, account numbers and passwords 
to criminals that can cause you a great deal of financial difficulties.

Phishing attacks are often carried out using zombie computers. Your 
computer could be used to serve a webpage that looks just like a 
financial institution’s login page where criminals acquire the usernames 
and passwords.

While we all like to think that ‘it can’t happen to me,’ it’s time to 
take another look. Malware writers are no longer youngsters doing 
childish pranks to make a name for themselves. For the past few years 
now, it is being done by organized criminal gangs that are reaping large 
amounts of money with these methods. In order for them to succeed at 
this, they need large numbers of zombie computers under their control.

To give you an idea of how likely a computer will become a zombie, 
E-mail security vendor CipherTrust researchers reported an average of 
172,000 new zombies identified daily in May of 2005, for a total of over 
5.3 million zombies for the month. That’s NEW zombies found EVERY DAY.

It usually takes me at least three hours to fully clean, secure and tune 
up a computer. Some of the malware is very difficult to remove fully and 
it takes numerous tools to do so. It also takes a number of programs to 
protect your systems well.

1. Firewall. First line of defense. I mean more than Windows Firewall. I 
like Sygate, but they are in the process of being bought by Symantec, so 
my recommendation is likely to change soon.

2. An up-to-date Antivirus. Keep it up to date and scan your computer 
daily. My recommendation is AVG by Grisoft.com

3. Adaware, Spybot Search & Destroy, HijackThis, SpywareBlaster, 
SpywareGuard and WinPatrol for finding and keeping spyware off your systems.

4. Update Windows regularly. This is very important. So many people 
ignore the alerts to update because they don't want to be bothered, but 
are instead bothered by the exploits that are caused by not updating.

All of the above can be had for free, so don't let financial 
considerations prevent you from securing your system.

-- 
Brian
SC.10.myspamgobbler at spamcowboy.net