This advice is courtesy of a subscriber to ausfem-polnet (Australian Feminist Policy Network):
> Some of you may already be using Ad-aware, a nifty little piece of > software that detects 'spyware' on your computer. Spyware is insidious > stuff, often a cookie but usually embedded in a program or written to > your registry by a site that you have visited. It then sits there > forever sending bits of information to the owner of that spyware > telling then what you are doing and what sites you are visiting. They > can then target there popup windows and e-mails directly at potential > customers. > > > > Ad-aware is updated regularly so you need to check the site from time > to time and get the latest version. You can find it at > > > > www.lavasoft.de <http://www.lavasoft.de> > > > > or directly at > > > > http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,7423,00.asp > > > > the latter also offering other software like free firewalls. > > > > If you are using the free virus checker, AntiVir Personal, then don't > forget to get the latest virus definitions. The BugBear virus is nasty > and the latest definitions pick it up. BugBear searches your PC for > passwords and credit card numbers and send them out via your e-mail. > It also sends itself to all of the folk in your address book. My virus > checker saved me from it two days ago. > > > > Check the Net Adventures column in the Saturday Advertiser by Samela > Harris for more details on BugBear. Check her column every Saturday as > there are always timely virus warnings and useful bits of information > as well as some fun sites to visit. > > > > If you don't already have it, AntiVir Personal is free to download and > update. It is found at > > > > http://www.free-av.com > > > > And once you have it RUN IT! I run mine after EVERY time on the > Internet, especially if I have downloaded anything or had a spate of > popup windows whilst surfing. It also has a background component that > runs all the time, picking up anything that may be embedded within, or > attached to, an e-mail you are opening, or embedded within a > downloaded file you try to run or unpack. > > > > Happy surfing > > > > Edith Pringle >
