Here are some of the ways ISPs are fighting the Spyware threat.

by Jim Thompson [May 31, 2005]

As we showed in Friday's article, Malware Returns, ISPs cannot count on government to solve the spyware problem. Technology offers no easy cure, but there's a lot your customers can do to protect themselves from the problem.

Secure browser
The problems, holes, and security leaks within Internet Explorer are becoming legendary. In their defense, Microsoft is working hard to plug those leaks, but it's a job that seems to have no end. The minute they fix one problem, a determined Spammer, hacker, or Spyware vendor finds a way around it.

Right now the hot ticket in "secure" browsers is Monzilla's Firefox. But is it really more secure? The answer is probably "yes … and no."

Firefox has security problems, but it has not been singled out for any massive attacks because it has such a small share of the market. In release 1.01 of their browser, Monzilla did not add a single new feature, but they did fix 17 "security vulnerabilities" found in version 1.0. Later editions have had similar known vulnerability issues.

You can get information about current bugs and security problems involving Monzilla projects at: http://bugzilla.mozilla.org. In the past, Monzilla, unlike Microsoft, did not issue a patch for users when it found a problem, but they did (and still do) issue interim builds on a nightly basis (available at: ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/nightly/latest-trunk/).

In the newer versions, they have enacted the "update notification" feature which will automatically download and install the latest version. But you still have to wait until the next general release for bug and security fixes. The upgrade from 1.0 to 1.0.1 took about three and a half months. You can probably expect more security beaches as the Firefox browser becomes more popular.

Anti-spyware applications
If there is one bit of good news in the Spyware attacks is that some excellent tools are available to combat it. Currently, the top ones include: Microsoft Anti-Spyware, Spybot Search and Destroy, Lavasoft's AdAware, CounterSpy from Sunbelt Software, and Computer Associate's eTrust PestPatrol.

I ran all of these products through a very unofficial test. I scanned my computer with each program but exited the program(s) before fixing the problems that were found. After each scan, I noted the number of Spyware/Adware problems that were found. Here are the results of that test:

• Spybot Search and Destroy—16 problems found
• Lavasoft's AdAware—20 problems found
• Microsoft Anti-Spyware—21 problems found
• CounterSpy from Sunbelt Software—26 problems found
• Computer Associate's eTrust PestPatrol—34 problems found

eTrust PestPatrol was the standout in the group. Not only was it extremely easy to install and run, it did a better job of finding and correcting problems. Before running a fix, you can select items not to be removed or quarantined. There is also a nifty "quick scan" which searches only in areas where Spyware is normally found. The "quick scan" mode won't find everything, but it's a great way to do a quick check.

Computer Associates is also willing to work directly with ISPs. "We have a number of programs for ISPs," commented Case, "including an SDK version of PestPatrol which will allow ISPs to customize the application and create custom branding. We also work with ISPs who want to do a special promotional offering."

But even the best anti-spyware program can have problems. "If I could scream at the top of my lungs, I would say that people making anti-Spyware products are not following-up in supporting those products. This puts a huge burden on the ISP since it is left to us to provide product support," Cindy Bajdarvanov at Portland, Ore.-based Budget Dialup, a small ISP with approximately 20,000 customers.

To be on the safe side each of your customers should run at least two anti-spyware programs.

Mac or Linux system
Using one of these systems won't guarantee that you will never encounter Spyware, but it will definitely help. Since these systems are not near as popular as Windows, there are fewer threats. For the abuser it costs just as much in time and money to develop Spyware for a system used by less than 10 percent of computer users as it does for one that supports the other 90 percent. For them, the choice is a 'no brainer.'

Other things that can be done to protect against Spyware, include having your customers educate themselves about what programs are installed on their systems, encouraging them to read program end-user agreements, and calling or writing your local Congressperson (hey, it can't hurt).

—End