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New High Speed Internet User and Spyware Issue

M

mtnagel

Member
Is it possible for spyware and adware to be installed on a computer just by plugging in a DSL modem and leaving it unprotected (no firewall)? A women at work just signed up for our local DSL high speed internet service and now she has a ton of spyware/adware after just a few days. Is it possible for spyware to be installed on your system without you going to a website where it installs it without you knowing?
 
Viruses yes, spyware, not really. I have to believe that she's been surfing a little more than she says. I get customer's ALL the time at work that swear they hardly do any surfing and magically they "develop" tons of spyware, LOL.
She may not have visited many sites, but if her internet explorer isn't the latest with all critical updates and service packs installed then it's much easier to get spyware. Also she may have children that have wandered onto it while she wasn't looking.

Good luck! 🙂
 
Additionally, there are some unsrupulous sites where just having your mouse pointer hovering over a given spot on the screen can initiate a download/install.. you don't even have to click on something for it to happen. :roll:



 
So am I hearing you guys correctly that you can only get spyware by going to "evil" sites that install it without you knowing about it? Not just by having your computer connected to a network, they won't find you?
 
You normally get spyware from visiting sites, but its possible to contract a virus or worm that would go through and load a bunch of crap, havent seen one that does that, but its possible.
 
People are stupid, it probably had spyware on it before she hooked it up. Firefox + spyware blaster should help.
 
You might want to urge her to get a router to be her firewall, regardless of whether that's what caused the spyware. If there are other users of the computer, it could be their doing, too.

If it were me, I would start from scratch, reinstall Windows on it, and get its security nice and tight from the get-go. I put some suggestions here that would just about eliminate the risk of accidental/ignorant spyware installs.

The linchpin in the whole thing, especially for a multi-user home computer, is to take the Administrator powers and lock them up, to be used ONLY when needed. I just finished a co-worker's home riggie that came down with about a dozen worms, Trojans and viruses. It wouldn't have happened if her kid didn't have Admin powers over it. Now he don't. :evil: Naturally, you want antivirus software and a hardware + software firewall, a patched Windows/Office installation, and automatic updating, but if anyone can walk up to the computer and disable that stuff, or a program that gains control of his/her account can do likewise, then *poof* goes the assurance of having your defenses in place.

:frown: ~ darn it, I keep trying to download that file and the antivirus software keeps nuking it!

*disables antivirus software*

🙂 ~ there, much better!
 
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