Information on Spyware/Adware

• Your usual homepage is changed and you have no idea why.
• An unexpected toolbar appears and you don't know how it got there.
• Your firewall alerts you to an unknown program or process trying to access the Internet.
• New shortcuts appear on your desktop or your task bar that you didn't put there.
• New entries appear in your favorites folder that you didn't put there.
• Your computer starts acting sluggish and slow.
• Random, excessive popup windows appear and you are unable to stop or close them.
• Excessive CPU usage.
• When you perform a search you are redirected to search sites that you've never seen.
• There is a new program in the add/remove section of your control panel .
• Your antivirus is mysteriously turned off, as well as your firewall.
• You are unable to access task manager, regedit, MSCONFIG, or they pop up, and disappear.

There are many reasons why someone would install Adware/Spyware on your PC. The most notable include:
 

	Advertising of products Companies will pay developers of Adware to devise ways of show their products to you. Some may be as simple as a pop-up ad that you see when you go to a particular website. More ingenious methods will install a small software program on your PC that can be continuously updated by these developers when new products are available.
	Track your web-surfing habits for Marketing of new products Developers will create small programs that “track” your web-surfing habits, which is then categorized for companies to create “targeted” marketing campaigns.
	Identity theft This is the most malicious form of Spyware. Developers will create programs that capture personal information that they can use to obtain bank accounts, credit cards, and so on. Many of today's most popular Spyware applications promise the ability to execute via “remote installation”. Remote installation is the ability to put a Spyware program on a computer without having physical access to the machine.

Many of these applications are installed via "drive-by downloads", which use misleading tactics to install them. Many times users have no idea they have installed the application. Many developers will design their applications to be difficult to uninstall. If a small portion remains on your PC, it has the ability to rebuild itself. Only install applications when you are certain what functions they are performing and AFTER you read the End User Licensing Agreement (EULA).

You can also follow these simple guidelines to prevent spyware and adware from becoming a problem on your computer:

1. Update your computer
   One way to help prevent spyware and other unwanted software is to make sure all your software is updated. If you use Windows XP, visit Microsoft Update to confirm that you have Automatic Updates turned on and that you've downloaded all the latest critical and security updates.  Apple users should visit www.apple.com for more information on updating your Apple computer with the latest security enhancements.
    

2. Adjust your browser security settings
   Most browsers allow you to adjust their security settings to determine how much - or how little - information you are willing to accept from a web site. Cox recommends that you set the security settings as high as possible while still able to surf the web sites you enjoy (medium or higher in Internet Explorer).
    

3. Use a firewall
   While most spyware and other unwanted software come bundled with other programs or originate from unscrupulous Web sites, a small amount of spyware can actually be placed on your computer remotely by hackers. Installing a firewall or using the firewall that's built into Windows XP provides a helpful defense against these hackers. 
    

4. Surf & Download More Safely

• Only download programs from Web sites you trust.

• Read all security warnings, license agreements, and privacy statements associated with any software you download.

• Never click "agree" or "OK" to close a window - instead, click the red X (WinXP) or red button (MacOS) to ensure that you're not accidentally launching a program unintentionally.

• Be wary of popular "free" music and movie file-sharing programs, and be sure you clearly understand all of the software packaged with those programs.

5. Download and install anti-spyware protection
    

   	Cox Security Suite Cox has you covered with a suite of security software programs available at no additional charge to all Cox High Speed Internet customers.  In addition to Anti-Spyware software that detects these programs on your computer, you also get protection from viruses, spam, pop-ups and unauthorized access to your computer. Download the Cox Security Suite today and protect your computer! 1 learn more...
   Cox does not support the following applications and cannot assist with their use, however many Internet users have reported excellent results by using the combination of these two popular spyware/adware removal products.
   	Spybot Search & Destroy This program detects and removes different kinds of spyware from your computer. If you see new toolbars in Internet Explorer that you didn't install, or you experience other problems, you may have spyware. This program prevents marketing companies from gathering information about your Web surfing and purchasing habits, and selling it to advertisers.
   	Lavasoft AdAware This is a spyware removal utility that scans your memory, registry and hard drives for known spyware components and lets you remove them. Options such as scanning depth and automatic modes can be set in the preferences menu. It features a wizard-style interface that will guide you through the scanning and removal process. It also includes backup and restore functionality, excluding of selected components, multilingual support and shell integration.