GNVQ ICT - Intermediate

Unit 10 - Networks and Communications

Hyperlinks on the level above: [Home Page for Unit 10] [ Email ] [ File Transfer ] [ Videoconferencing ] [ Newsgroups ] [ Bulletin Boards ] [ Txt links ] [ World Wide Web ]

Hyperlinks:

On this level:

Browser Software
Multimedia
MP3s
Spyware and Adware
Large websites
Search Engines
Multiple search criteria
Quality of information
Internet security

On the level below:

Spyware and adware:

Quite new to the Internet – certain applications send data about the user to a host computer – in some cases this can include details of credit cards, websites visited, items purchased etc.  This type of information can be valuable to other companies and – in some cases – can be of value to criminals who want to steal credit card details so that they can use the cards themselves. Of increasing concern is the use of “spyware” to find out about what websites the user has visited – and even what software they have got installed on their own computer!

To find out more about the dangers posed by adware and spyware click here to read a very useful article.

Here is some further information about so-called "spyware" - taken from the http://www.cexx.org/problem.htm website.............

Spyware is a generic term typically describing software whose purpose is to collect demographic and usage information from your computer, usually for advertising purposes. The term is also used to describe software that 'sneaks' onto the system or performs other activities hidden to the user. Spyware apps are usually bundled as a hidden component in mis-labeled "freeware" and shareware applications

Security Issues
Again, since a spyware program is an independent executable program residing on your PC, it will have all the privileges of the user that installed it. On the majority of single-user systems, including Windows 95 and 98, these privileges allow software to read, write and delete files, download and install other software, change the default homepage, interrogate other devices attached to the system, or even format the hard drive. While multi-user systems such as Windows NT can limit the spyware's abilities somewhat, it can still do anything the user who installed it can--a scary thought indeed if an application containing spyware was unknowingly installed by someone with Administrator privileges.

Some spyware modules include a number of insecure features, including so-called AutoInstall or AutoUpdate functions that can secretly download and install ANY arbitrary program on the user's system. This opens the door for further abuse of the system by malicious crackers or additional spyware programs! In particular, competent security experts including Gibson Research Corp. have proven how simple it is for a malicious user to hijack this capability to upload and run ANY program on a user's system!

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