Released on = October 12, 2006, 7:22 am

Press Release Author = S.N.Safe&Software

Industry = Software

Press Release Summary = Your PC is a titbit for hackers! How to secure your PC?

Press Release Body = Recently the threat of spyware has risen sharply. Last October
as a result of the research lead under America Online and National Cyber Security
Alliance initiative, traces of espionage \"activity\" have been found out in more than
80 % of computers of users. The subject is actual so much that it's high time to
tell users in a simple way what is spyware, with what it may threaten ordinary users
and how to protect their computers from espionage attacks.

What is spyware?

Spyware is a general term used for software that traces user activity on the PC,
collects personal information or confidential data without any user consent. Spyware
programs may register websites a user visits, time of visits and all clicks on the
keyboard (the way credit card numbers and pin-codes can be stolen) or monitor and
register secretly what kind of software is installed on computer.

The most dangerous spyware is the one which self replicates via e-mail, installs
itself on computer without user's consent, using software faults for this purpose.
Not less dangerous is the software intercepting e-mails or instant messages or
collecting and transmitting confidential information to Internet. Besides some
software may change parameters of installed security software without user's
consent. All this makes your computer vulnerable for spyware attacks. Depending on
spyware kind some programs may warn their developer about the user running some
application on his PC. Others are able to make holes for intrusion into the system
or set modem for paid calls transmission for which the PC owner will be billed.
Recently some shareware programs are referred to spyware as well as such programs
may extract files from your computer without your consent. The most dangerous
feature of spyware is ability to transmit collected information to the developer's
PC.

Spyware may get into your PC in different ways. The most "popular" is via e-mail or
web-browser. Also such software may be integrated installed into "useful" software
and may be downloaded at the moment of "useful" program start-up. Thus, hacker can
distribute spyware programs integrating them into useful applications to make the
user install hidden spyware. Generally such programs are integrated into popular
free software which are downloaded from Internet or distributed on CDs attached to
magazines.

Why spyware is dangerous?

Spyware doesn't influence much upon your PC running. Usually, it doesn't contain
viruses, however consume huge amount of system resources. But brings lots of damage
in sense of data confidentiality. Spyware programs register every user step both
inside the system and in Internet. All information is delivered to the malefactor
who uses collected data in his not yours interest!

How to protect from spyware?

Most spyware programs are integrated into freeware the user installs on his computer
but some are automatically downloaded during your visits of some web-sites. If a
massage pops-up on your screen proposing you to install a program providing access
to web site content do not hurry to press "OK" without checking this software. If
there is no need to install some special software to view the web-site it's better
to refuse downloading extra software.

Visiting some webs you may find lists of programs containing harmful spy modules.
Looking through such list you can learn if such program is installed on your
computer. Sometimes signs of your system behavior may indicate that spyware is
installed on your PC. Among such are slow typing; periodical alarms of installed
firewall; registration of access query to unknown webs from some unknown applied
programs as well as registration of attempts of setting remote connection with your
PC from the unit with unknown IP address; system and network efficiency reduction;
suspicious files discovery in the system. The best way to protect your computer from
spyware is to install specialized anti-spyware program.

With what to protect from spyware?

Personal firewalls are considered to be the most popular tool to protect user's
computer from spyware programs. Firewall runs the following way: it is integrated
into OS and permanently examines incoming and outgoing addresses to computer network
ports. Firewall analyses data packages coming to Internet-ports and mail-ports
according to the type of request and its addressee. Most firewalls may allow or deny
some types of addresses to this or that user addressee in the way "allowed is
always, denied is always denied". And here is the weak point because spyware may be
integrated inside one or another package (for example approved Web-browser) or
disguising itself as a Web-browser and such spyware can not be detected by firewall
and gets inside the PC to start their harmful activity. Besides, firewalls are
usually resource-consuming, so the price for relative security is your PC slow
running.

The problem of firewall incomplete protection is successfully solved by proactive
security systems. Such systems analyze all applications activity on the PC for its
potential maliciousness according to predefined rules of malicious or non-dangerous
behavior. This analysis is based on adjusted principles of dangerous or not
dangerous activity. In case of threat proactive system blocks dangerous program
before any damage to the system is done.
Safe'n'Sec is one of the most effective software solutions based on proactive
technology that is able to efficiently protect your PC from different kinds of
spyware. Safe'n'Sec+Anti-Spyware is a special solution in Safe'n'Sec product line
consisting of Safe'n'Sec behavior analyzer which blocks previously unknown spyware
and Anti-Spyware module detecting already known spyware modules with help of
extended anti-spyware signature databases. Anti-Spyware module has an option of
removing malware from user's PC.

Thus Safe'n'Sec Personal+Anti-Spyware program is able to efficiently protect PC from
all kinds of spyware and unauthorized access to the system. Besides Safe'n'Sec
Personal+Anti-Spyware is absolutely compatible with any traditional security
software installed on your computer.

Safe'n'Sec Personal+Anti-Spyware efficiently protects your confidential data from
unauthorized access whether you work in the system or browse in Internet. It helps a
lot to escape any possible material damage connected with personal data loss.

http://www.safensoft.com/safensec/personal/

Altufevskoe shosse, 5/2
127106 Moscow, Russia
Tel +7 (495) 967-1451
Fax +7 (495) 967-1452
dmitri@safensoft.com


Web Site = http://www.safensoft.com/

Contact Details = Altufevskoe shosse, 5/2
127106 Moscow, Russia
Tel +7 (495) 967-1451
Fax +7 (495) 967-1452
dmitri@safensoft.com