| If you
use a Microsoft Windows PC and are connected to the internet,
then this newsletter will be of interest to you.
Spy vs Spy
It has been
reported by multiple studies that last year (2005) some 59
million people reported computer spyware infections. And,
some 7 out of 10 people being affected by spyware like symptoms
experienced these symptoms last year.
Here are some types of spyware that fall under the broad
spyware category -
- Browser Hijacks - you home page gets changed and you
get a whole bunch of popups, slowing your productivity.
- Keyloggers - they log your keystrokes while you are logging
into your bank account, for example.
- Screen Shot Loggers - they record screenshots wile you
work and send them out to spyware servers.
To the user or business owner, cleaning
spyware is an expensive proposition. Here is a simple 5 step
process that should clean most well known spyware infestations
on your computer.
Note - See disclaimer and target audience
notes below.
5 Simple Steps to remove spyware
- Download Spybot S&D
- Install it, download latest updates for all. Read
the help files.
- Run the program, if it finds spyware fix the problems.
- If it says it need to reboot, please do so. It will
startup and do a check again.
- Reboot in safe mode -
- If Windows XP is the only operating
system installed on your computer, booting into Safe
Mode with these instructions.
If the computer is running, shut down Windows, and
then turn off the power.
Wait 30 seconds, and then turn the computer on.
- Start tapping the F8 key. The Windows Advanced Options
Menu appears. If you begin tapping the F8 key too soon,
some computers display a "keyboard error" message.
To resolve this, restart the computer and try again.
- Ensure that the Safe mode option is selected.
Press Enter. The computer then begins to start in Safe
mode.
- When you are finished with all troubleshooting,
close all programs and restart the computer as you
normally would.
- Run Spybot S&D while in safe mode.
- Immunize your system (there is an immunize button in
Spybot S&D)
- Reboot in normal mode.
- Run Spybot S&D again.
You should be clean.
If you have explicitly installed any programs like Site
Search or wwwsearch and Spybot has not detected and removed
them, then you will need to remove them using Add or Remove
programs. If you have tried these steps and are still having
trouble, then call a trained professional. Be prepared to
pay around $95 per hour to fix your machine.
Disclaimer - Follow these instructions
at your own risk. These instructions are a guide developed
by our engineers to help the average user. We recommend consulting
a specialist to clean or restore your machine.
Target Audience - Microsoft Windows
XP users.
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