Spyware Blockers

How could there be good money in writing software that no one wants? When the software you’re writing is spyware, you can make a very good living. A new report from Finjan’s Malicious Code Research Center say they’ve found data to suggest that scammers operating in Eastern Europe get about $0.10 for each person their software successfully redirects to a rogue Web site. In the space of slightly more than two weeks, the security firm says that 1.8 million users were redirected to the rogue site, meaning that the scammers collected a cool profit of about $180,000. Good money if you can make it.

There’s Big Money In Spyware

What’s worse than that, somewhere between seven and 12 percent of the redirected visitors paid an additional $50 for useless, rogue anti-spyware software. Now keep in mind that these visitors were redirected from legitimate Web sites, perhaps through ads planted on the sites or bogus comments on blogs. Even more sinister techniques involving hacking could have been used to compromise the sites.

The scammers also use search engine optimization techniques to make the compromised sites and the target rogue site appear high in the search engine results for particular keywords and phrases. These techniques led even more unsuspecting victims to the rogue sites directly from the search engine results.

Spyware is big business, and the more the scammers can distribute, the better off they’ll live. How can you prevent yourself from becoming a victim? You can’t control which sites get compromised, and you may not even know that you’re visiting a compromised site, but you can get the protection you need to prevent yourself from becoming a victim.

Spyware Doctor offers real-time protection against spyware and malware infections. Once installed on your computer, Spyware Doctor keeps track of what you download and prevents you from installing infected and suspicious files. That’s the kind of protection you need day in and day out.

Spyware Doctor has been downloaded by millions of PC users who want to keep their computers free from noxious malware. Spyware Doctor has been tested independently and has proven itself time and time again. No other program has won as many awards and distinctions from industry experts. Spyware Doctor is the number one spyware removal tool on the market today for a reason. It finds the malware that other spyware removal tools leave behind. Choose Spyware Doctor for the cleanest clean you can get!

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The Federal Trade Commission has issued warnings to consumers regarding the sharp uptick in the number of scams related to federal bailout funds. The FTC says that consumers are being misled to believe that they can receive bailout funds by participating in a grant program. They’re also being infected with spyware and other malware at rogue Web sites.

According to the FTC, most scams aim to collect personal information that can later be used to steal that person’s identity. Other scams try to entice users to visit phony “government” web sites that upload spyware and other malware to the user’s computer. Of particular concern to the FTC are emails and Web sites that promise to deposit stimulus funds into the victim’s bank account. After providing the requested bank information, the victim’s accounts are drained instead.

Still other scams include those that offer “business kits” or “grant kits” that are sent to the applicant for a nominal processing fee. In the fine print, however, these sites indicate that the user is signing up for recurring monthly charges of $50-$100 for access to an “online resource center.” According to the FTC, a consumer could be on the hook for more than $1,000 each year as the result of signing up for one of these fraudulent schemes.

What Should You Do If You Get Taken?

If you’ve been taken advantage of by schemes like this, your first recourse is through your credit card issuer. If the charges are being made violate the merchant agreement made between your credit card company and the scammer, you can get your funds returned. Follow the procedure the issuer provides to dispute the bogus charges.

If your computer gets infected with spyware or other malware, your first recourse should be Spyware Doctor. Spyware Doctor can be installed on your computer in just minutes, and is the most well-recognized and respected spyware removal tool available today. Spyware Doctor has won a large number of awards and has been downloaded by millions of users who swear by the protection it offers.

Spyware Doctor doesn’t just clean up the mess that these nasty spyware packages leave behind. It offers real-time protection from spyware infections to prevent your computer from being infected in the first place. Web surfing can be fun and entertaining. It can also allow you to take advantage of services offered by vendors all over the world, but it can also put you at risk. Eliminate your risk of being infected with some of today’s nastiest malware by making sure Spyware Doctor protects your computer.

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In a word, yes, you can avoid adware. Adware and its malcontent cousin, spyware aren’t a given, even in today’s computing environment. To avoid adware, however, you need to establish good habits that will help you escape adware infections.

Yes You Can!

Exactly what do you need to do? First, you need to acknowledge that adware and spyware are real, and that they’re more than simple nuisances. These types of software are dangerous to your personal information, your personal security and the security of others in the computing world. If you acknowledge that your computer can be infected, (don’t worry, it can), you can begin to take the steps you need to take to protect yourself, your computer and others whom you might come in contact with while connected to the Internet and other networks.

Once you’ve acknowledged that infection is possible, take steps to limit your negative exposure to this malware. For starters, install anti-virus and anti-spyware software like Spyware Doctor on your computer. Make sure that you have the current version and update these software packages regularly. Also don’t make the assumption that a single spyware package offers full protection, Most don’t. Spyware Doctor is the recognized leader in anti-spyware software, and in rigorous tests, it found spyware infections that other products left behind.

Limit your visits to unknown Web sites. If you’re still not sure, don’t visit the site. Also keep in mind that familiar sites can be hijacked, even for short periods of time. If a favorite site changes appearance or behavior suddenly, scan your computer carefully for signs of infection. Understand that advertising – even those ads placed by Google – can lead to infected sites. Be very careful about following links in advertising.

If you like to download files (music, videos, shareware, etc,) stick to trusted sites. Normally, download sites will scan files for infections, but that’s not always the case. Worse, files you want to download can also be bundled with unwanted malware, spyware and adware. Choose downloads carefully. If you’re evaluating an application, try downloading directly from the manufacturer, instead of picking up the file from a download site. Note any odd behavior from your computer after downloading a file or application.

Keep Tabs On What Is Running

Scan your computer regularly and note any odd files. Periodically, check the Task Manager to see what’s running on your computer, particularly if you notice that your computer isn’t behaving properly. If you find some unrecognized program there, use the Task Manager to halt the suspect program and do some research on what the application is. Keep your Spyware Doctor and anti-virus software updated at all times. New malware crops up each day. While some programs can be discovered easily, malware authors are very inventive.

A little extra caution can go a long way toward helping you avoid nasty and prolonged malware infections.
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According to industry experts, infections of the VideoPlay worm increased by more than 400 percent between January and February of 2009. VideoPlay steals email account information and passwords for specific Web sites. The VideoPlay worm is being distributed in comments left on popular Web sites like YouTube and Digg.

The comments entice readers to visit the link with promises of pornographic videos. Instead, the link directs users to a download site and informs them that they need to download a coder-decoder (codec) to view the videos. Allowing the codec download installs the worm onto the user’s computer and the real fun begins.

Protect Your Computer From Spyware

If you want to protect your computer from spyware infections, there are a number of products on the market you can use. If you want to make sure that your computer is free from spyware, and new spyware programs don’t get loaded onto your computer, choose Spyware Doctor from SpywareBlockers.org.

Spyware Doctor is the number one spyware removal tool available today. It quickly locates and disables existing spyware infections and prevents new infections from occurring. Spyware Doctor is an excellent tool to identify and remove keyloggers, Trojans, worms, adware, popup generators and other malware that can put your personal information at risk, slow your computer down and cause ongoing problems for you when you use your computer.

Spyware Doctor is the most cost-effective protection you can buy today. Better yet, industry experts who have tested and verified Spyware Doctor’s ability to find and remove noxious malware from your computer highly recommend Spyware Doctor.

Spyware Doctor Is Configured To Work Right Out Of The Box

You don’t have to be a computer expert to download and use Spyware Doctor. Spyware Doctor is configured to work right out of the box. The program also comes with free customer support for every user. It offers real-time protection from active infection attempts, You’re also protected by a money-back guarantee. If Spyware Doctor doesn’t perform to your satisfaction, you’ll get your money back.

Spyware Doctor has been downloaded more than 125 million times. Spyware Doctor is updated regularly to provide you with the latest spyware and adware protection you can find. This award-winning program has been tested by experts all over the world, and no matter where the tests are conducted, the results are the same: Spyware Doctor comes out ahead of other spyware detection and removal programs.

Don’t risk the safety of your personal information to an unknown product. If your personal security matters, go with the best!

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Still think that spyware is just a nuisance? The Indian Express reports that a major spyware infection has hit the Indian External Affairs Ministry. The Ministry handles sensitive diplomatic relations with other countries, including India’s troubled relationship with Pakistan.

The External Affairs Ministry reports that many of its 600 computers, especially those in the Ministry’s Pakistan section, senior Secretaries and Joint Secretaries were infected with spyware that sent a duplicate copy of all email generated on an infected computer to a separate email address. The spyware problem was first discovered in the Minister of State’s office, on a computer normally used by the Minister’s personal staff.

Subsequent checks of other computers found that the problem was widespread. The spyware has been removed from the computer and Ministry employees are now cautioned to encrypt email messages, avoid the use of personal email accounts on office computers and to avoid visiting blogs and social networking sites.

How Is Your Anti-Spyware Security?

This use of spyware represents a serious security breach not only as far as the Ministry offices are concerned, but could also be a breach of national security. The impact of the infection could be to inflame the already-tense relations between India and Pakistan. The threat of spyware is real, and it isn’t going away anytime soon.

You don’t have to be a government official or handle diplomatically sensitive materials to be concerned about spyware. Your own personal information is valuable, too! That’s why millions of people have chosen to protect their personal information with Spyware Doctor. Spyware Doctor can locate even the most cryptic infections, disable the damaging software and remove it safely from your computer.

Better still, Spyware Doctor can detect spyware infection attempts in real time, meaning that rather than just cleaning up the mess that these programs leave behind, it prevents these programs from ever being installed on your computer in the first place. What other anti-spyware programs offer you that level of protection?

Spyware Doctor Is An Award-Winning Tool

Spyware Doctor is an award-winning program from a name you trust. It has been tested and approved by PC World, PC Magazine, PC Advisor and CNET. These organizations don’t hand out their top honors easily, so you know that Spyware Doctor is among the best of its kind.

Spyware Doctor is thorough, affordable and extremely well supported. Each time you turn your computer on, visit a Web site, download a file or open an email, you’ll know that your computer is being protected by one of the industry’s best. Spyware Doctor gives you the peace of mind you’re looking for.

Photo Credit: Adrian van Leen