# What is the deal with all these questions about spyware lately? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 11, 2003, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-all-these-questions-about-spyware-lately/218280 "2003-12-11T05:11:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-all-these-questions-about-spyware-lately/218280/1 "2003-12-11T05:11:16Z")
There have been a ton in various forums. (Thankfully, I might add, since I have been hit, myself.) I assume that there’s a spate of questions because there’s been a spate of infections. Why now, all of a sudden? Any ideas??? ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-all-these-questions-about-spyware-lately/218280/2 "2003-12-11T05:53:02Z")
I’d wager it’s because a lot of people will just click Yes to anything that pops up in a grey box that looks semi-legit, you know? And it’s becoming more popular because it’s an easy way for site operators to make money. Some companies pay by the download and they don’t care how it happens. ---
**Author:** ![lesa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/34f0e0/32.png) [@lesa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lesa)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-all-these-questions-about-spyware-lately/218280/3 "2003-12-11T07:12:50Z")
I think it’s because spyware is being put into more and more innocent seeming downloads. I only download from sites I think are safe, yet I ended up with at least three spyware programs on my computer. I still haven’t figured out where two of them came from. ---
**Author:** ![Scarf-Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Scarf-Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarf-Ace)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-all-these-questions-about-spyware-lately/218280/4 "2003-12-11T17:01:58Z")
Don’t use the free DivXPro download - when you install it licensing info pops up saying that you also agree to installing Gator! Bummer! ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-all-these-questions-about-spyware-lately/218280/5 "2003-12-11T22:03:21Z")
- - - Because Windows XP is a POS. * * * - Spybot Search and Destroy and AdAware are your friends, set Spybot to always scan on startup automatically, and delete _eveything_ they say is bad. ~ ---
**Author:** ![tisiphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tisiphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tisiphone)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-all-these-questions-about-spyware-lately/218280/6 "2003-12-11T22:18:03Z")
That damn download.trojan seems to be embedded in those _self-censored due to forum location_ casino popups. I got it twice - when my Symantec Anti-virus alerted me, the only thing I was running was the browser, which had just thrown up a ball of casino popups. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-all-these-questions-about-spyware-lately/218280/7 "2003-12-11T22:25:45Z")
The virus epidemic has hit major news outlets and the average user has an idea about them, probably also an anti-virus program; they’re pre-installed with most new computers. But the average user isn’t as well-informed about spyware, probably because it isn’t as pervasive or destructive, so doesn’t make the 10 O’Clock News as often. Just one theory, IMHO. I, too have noticed a run of posters on SDMB recently with problems that are fixed by AdAware/SpyBot. Mods take note: maybe we need a short sticky about them? ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-all-these-questions-about-spyware-lately/218280/8 "2003-12-11T23:04:30Z")
That’s a fine idea. “Did your computer just start acting funny? Before you post, run Spybot, Ad-Aware, and a current antivirus scan.” Relevant links. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-all-these-questions-about-spyware-lately/218280/9 "2003-12-11T23:10:33Z")
Just after posting here, I spotted _another_ [new thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&postid=4340321) by someone who looks like he could use a good spyware cleansing. I think a sticky is looking like a better idea all the time. The only problem is, how do we get dopers to read it before starting a new thread? The topic will have to be sufficiently encompassing that they read it first. ---
**Author:** ![Cerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-all-these-questions-about-spyware-lately/218280/10 "2003-12-11T23:14:45Z")
For the truly lazy, here’s the links to the downloads for both AdAware and SpyBot Search & Destroy: [SpyBot Search & Destroy](http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?lang=en&page=download) [AdAware](http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/) I run both of these on all my machines once a week, making sure to update the scumware database (for which there are options in the UIs of both these programs) before scanning. If you get in the habit of running them every time you defrag your hard drive _(you DO defrag your hard drives periodically, right? grin)_, you’ll notice a big difference if you’ve been getting alot of this crap on your machines. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-all-these-questions-about-spyware-lately/218280/11 "2003-12-11T23:46:00Z")
Why not just use a computer that prevents software from being installed without your permission? “Gosh, this popup window needs my administrator password to install some software? No way, Jose.” ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-all-these-questions-about-spyware-lately/218280/12 "2003-12-12T00:09:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rjung \* > Why not just use a computer that prevents software from being installed without your permission? > > “Gosh, this popup window needs my administrator password to install some software? No way, Jose.” AFAIK, all spyware has to go thru the same process of asking the op’s permission. To you, this message acts as a red flag, and you reject the request. But the average computer user hasn’t a clue as to what he is about to permit, and gets infected. For me, it’s job security; I get called regularly to clean off people’s computers. I give them the standard speech, and get called back weeks later to do it again. I just started a thread in the About Forum, [New sticky needed about spyware?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=228730) ---
**Author:** ![Cerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-all-these-questions-about-spyware-lately/218280/13 "2003-12-12T00:16:11Z")
My Windows XP machines _are_ configured to not install software without a prompt, yet I have still found scum/adware when I scan with either of the above programs. Or are you referring to not using a Windows machine entirely? In that case my answer would be, because I am a hard-core gamer, and wish to be able to run just about any software that catches my eye at EB Games or Best Buy. Without exception, _that_ particular machine is a Windows box, preferably XP. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-all-these-questions-about-spyware-lately/218280/14 "2003-12-12T00:27:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cerri \* > My Windows XP machines _are_ configured to not install software without a prompt, yet I have still found scum/adware when I scan with either of the above programs. Are you sure you are distinguishing between _programs_ and _cookies_? I run AdAware weekly, and find dozens of unwanted cookies, but never any programs since I practice pretty clean computing. The cookies are relatively harmless; the programs are not; Adaware scans for both.