Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Modern Spyware

With a very few rare exceptions most computers and even networks have spyware lurking on them somewhere. Further creating a problem is the fact that most people, even professionals, maybe unaware that the spyware is there. This is because a lot of modern spyware now gets downloaded simply by visiting a website. Whereas it used to be that spyware could only be contracted by downloading a program loaded with it or opening a suspicious e-mail attachment, these days the unscrupulous individuals who devise these applications have found a way to work under the radar so to speak.

In many cases modern spyware is programmed into specific websites which when visited by an individual are downloaded silently in the background while the user browses through the website. Unbeknownst to the individual visiting an infected website not only does their computer become infected with spyware but if they are part of a large network the network can become infected as well.

Even more frustrating and frightening is that this type of spyware no longer functions as solely an executable file or file designed to coax an individual into opening it. Instead modern infections now mimic DLL files and infected them so that they begin functioning just as soon as a PC has been booted up. This can make removing them extremely difficult for even the most adept computer professional. Whereas in years past professionals and lay persons could boot their computers into safe mode to rid themselves of spyware infections modern spyware programs sometimes prevent that from happening as well.

While some individuals and business owners may not care how or why spyware functions the way it does they should take note of the dangers that these modern types of spyware pose. While individuals don't have as much at stake as business owners any private data or sensitive material can easily be viewed and/or copied by outsiders once certain types of spyware have been introduced to a computer or network. This type of scenario is a complete nightmare for businesses and can lead to loss of productivity, lawsuits, data loss, among other things.

In order for businesses and individuals to avoid the many problems that modern spyware carries with it its a good idea to work with some sort of professional networking or IT consulting firm. While there are certainly many tech savvy individuals and business persons out there, computer professionals have the experience and the tools necessary to rid individual computers and networks of not only the spyware but the secondary and tertiary problems/infections as well.

Even the most secure networks and computers running state-of-the-art firewalls and anti-spyware software are going to get infected at some point and on a fairly regular basis. To stay one step ahead of the game business owners, individuals and computer professionals need to work hard in order to understand how modern spyware works and what the consequences of becoming infected with it mean.

TH2 specializes in Orange County computer services, Orange County IT Consulting and Orange County virus removal.

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