Spyware and the effect on your user’s productivity
First, a brief introduction: My name is John Connors and I have been working with Courtesy Computers for the past three and a half years. In that time I have moved from position to position. I have seen just about every aspect of how Courtesy Computers tailors our services to fit your needs. From the ordering of parts for servers, to the building of workstations for your end users, I have been involved. Eventually I made my way out of the hands on building and into a customer-relations position (Asst. to the C.O.O). I was now able to engage with the very customers whom I had helped build their IT infrastructure. So of you may know me, some of you may not have had the opportunity. This article was written for our customers to assist in informing each reader about the loss of productivity associated with Spyware and to reintroduce myself to CCI’s customer base. With that said, welcome all, and please continue reading to learn about Spyware and the effect on your users productivity…
The first question that must be asked is a simple one: What is Spyware? In my travels I have heard quite a few answers that are closer to the “Grassy Knoll” theory than reality. The truth being that Spyware is a tool used by an individual or a company to gather information about an individual or a company with the knowledge of said individual or company. That information is then sold to advertisers and in some cases, to third party companies that should probably not have access to such sensitive information.
Similar to Spam email, Spyware is quickly becoming a major drain on productivity. The applications are installed on a workstation or server, usually through surreptitious methods, and can be programmed to track and report back items as harmless as Web site visits. However, in most cases, the reporting focuses on information that most would think is private: Email messages and addresses, keystrokes, credit card information, social security information, home address, home phone number, etc.
You may be thinking to yourself, “Other than a potential security risk, how does this affect productivity?” According to a Microsoft survey, Spyware is responsible for over half of all PC crashes (and here we thought it had to do with their software…). Furthermore, Dell claims that 12% of its tech support calls involve Spyware. These numbers have increased dramatically over the course of the past year, further indicating this is a growing problem that will not soon abate. Still more: A scan of one million Internet-connected PC’s, conducted last year by Internet Service Provider EarthLink Inc., and desktop-privacy and security vendor Webroot Software Inc., found an average of 28 spyware applications running on each PC and more than 300,000 programs at large that can steal data and possibly allow for access to those systems.
All of the above are examples of symptoms associated with numerous Spyware programs running on a workstation.
Now that we have established what Spyware can do and how it can harm the productivity of your users, what can be done about it? Well, you could wait for the federal government finally comes to a consensus about this problem and passes a ban on Spyware programs. Mary Bono (R-California), introduced anti-spyware legislation last year. As of writing this article, the legislation has morphed into what is called “Software Principles Yielding Better Levels of Consumer Knowledge”, or SPYBLOCK (witty). The SPYBLOCK legislation was introduced to the Senate by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-California), Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), and Conrad Burns (R-Montana). The bill engages Spyware on three different levels: It imposes new rules that would make it more difficult for companies to slip software onto users' systems surreptitiously; require easy directions and options for removal; and prohibit harmful spyware.
The other option is to allow for the market to create it’s own solution. In most instances, this is faster and much more reliable. With that in mind, technology vendors are beginning to ramp up solutions to the problems caused by Spyware. PepiMK Software, Pest Patrol, and Webroot software offer anti-spyware tools. Antivirus vendors such as McAfee, Symantec, and Trend are including Spyware removal and detection tools. Microsoft is assisting in this debate by adding into their service pack a security feature that disables pop-up ads. Pop-up ads are the most common tool used in convincing users to download Spyware. Microsoft’s security patch will also include a download blocker to stop self-initiating downloads, as well as harder to spoof dialog boxes so users can see exactly what’s being downloaded.
Markets take time as well; too much time if you’re a small business and must wait for the trickle down effect. So what can be done now if urgency is necessary? The short answer is to contact one of the vendors listed above that provides anti-spyware software. The other is to contact Courtesy Computers and request an evaluation.
An evaluation will help you determine if the cost associated with centrally managed software that actively removes and defends against Spyware programs is right for your network. From here, it is a matter of educating your end users.
By educating your users, you empower them to make the right decisions.