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Home PC Security and Privacy (continued)

Privacy on the Internet

When you browse the Internet you could be doing it for any number of reasons - shopping, banking, information searches, playing on-line games, looking for files, or even indulging more libidinous interests. Whatever the reason you use the Internet, it should be of no business to anyone. Or so you would think. Now that the Internet has become the next big money making venture, companies big and small are doing whatever they can to get your business.
This means advertising, marketing and of course the gathering of information. In this case, user information. The more a company knows about you, the better they can target you with their products. This collection of user information, which is stored in huge databases and then sold to businesses, should be a concern to everyone. What information is being collected? Who has access to it? What do they do with it? And how do they get it? The following will discuss how information about you is collected, and what you can do to prevent it.

Cookies. Most people have heard of cookies, but if you haven't, cookies are small text files that a web server sends to and stores on your PC. A cookie can store your log-in and password information for a web site that requires a sign on. It can remember your usual destinations within a site so the site can greet you with relevant information. A cookie can also be used to track where you go and what links you click at a web site.
Most cookies are innocuous, and can even be beneficial. However, if you find cookies to be intrusive, and would rather not have a web site know where you are going and what you do at that web site, then use a cookie blocking program. There are numerous cookie blocking programs to choose from. Some free, some not. Some are incorporated into other privacy type programs and offer various configuration options.

Web bugs. A Web bug is a small file, usually a 1x1 pixel graphic file such as a .GIF file that monitors browsing behavior without the user's knowledge. Web bugs cannot be detected by users because they are to small to see and match the color of the page's background. Web bugs can collect information such as the computer's IP address, what type of browser is being used, the time the page was viewed, and extract information from cookies previously set from that web site.

Although Web bugs are supposed to be used mostly to improve a user's web site experience, the fact that users do not know of their presence should alert you about privacy concerns. Do you want to be tracked when you are on the Internet? Do you want your name, address and email name in a database somewhere with the types and names of web sites you like to visit? That's what Web bugs and cookies can be used for.

What can you do about Web bugs? Not much. There are no programs that will prevent the collecting of information from Web bugs because they're embedded within the HTML code on a Web page. However, since Web bugs are frequently used in conjunction with cookies, if you block cookies, you will be disabling at least one aspect of Web bugs.

Update:08.27.02
 I have come across 2 programs that claim to stop Web Bugs:
SpyStopper and Smasher.  I haven't tried them yet, but you might want to give them a go.

Registering at Web Sites.  This is becoming more and more common.  Even for web sites where you are purchasing nothing, you are asked to register.  Don't do it!  Unless you are buying a product or service and your personal information is legitimately needed, then don't give a web site information such as your email address, home address, phone number and so on.  This information is added to a database, and depending on the Privacy Policy of the web site, can be sold to whomever they want.  If you go to a web site that requires registration before you can use the web site, enter bogus information.

Spyware.  Spyware is particularly odious, and is becoming all to common.  It is a new tool used by marketers that allows them to collect information without you knowing anything about their intrusive activities. Spyware is software that is hidden in an otherwise legitimate program.  When you install the legitimate program, you are unwittingly installing a spyware program.  The spyware will sit on your PC and secretly send information back to the program's owner.  Spyware can collect information about your browsing habits, what files you upload or download, personal information, computer information and much more.  To marketers this is a very useful tool.  Once again they can gather personal information that can be compiled, stored and sold.

How do you combat spyware?  There isn't much on the market right now as far as anti-spyware programs except for Ad-aware.  Ad-aware is made by Lavasoft and comes in both a free version and a more advanced version you can pay for.  Ad-aware will scan your PC for known spyware programs and give you the option to delete this nasty software.  Of course Ad-aware can only delete spyware it knows about, so it isn't perfect. However, Lavasoft does a good job of regularly updating Ad-aware so it is as current as possible.
Update:09.02   Other Anti-Spyware programs are now making their way onto the market.  Obviously, there is a need for this software.  Most notable of these new programs is Pest Patrol by Sunbelt Software. It is worth taking a look at, and they have a trial version.

Along with Ad-aware, your firewall software will aid you in preventing spyware from sending information back to it's owners.  If your firewall software watches for programs, on your PC, that try to send data out to the Internet, you will be notified when the spyware tries to access the Internet. You can then decide if you want to allow or deny Internet access to the program.

 


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