'Intrusive 'junkware' is clogging our computers'

Brad Stone (NewsMaster) -

Call it whatever you want: adware, spyware, malware or junkware, but it's wrecking the online experience for millions of computer users. Adware loads itself onto the desktop, sometimes secretly, and can slow a computer to a crawl and fight the user's best efforts to uninstall it. Last October, AOL and the nonprofit National Cyber Security Alliance reported that 80 percent of home computers were infected with adware. It's the new spam; frustrating, time consuming and even destructive when it opens the digital door to more serious vermin like viruses or spyware software that can steal personal info like credit-card numbers. The Feds are now taking action. Last fall the Federal Trade Commission sued a Web site operator for sneaking adware onto user's machines. Next year Congress will likely finalize a bill requiring adware companies to alert users when software is being downloaded and clearly tell them how to remove it. "Adware makes the Internet a riskier place and undermines confidence in it," says Thomas Pahl of the FTC.

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• Invasion of the PC Snatchers

Comment #1 snowbird (1) from The North -

As much as I hate the government getting involved in things, I welcome this bill. Why do these adware companies have the right to download their product on our computers that we buy with our hard earned money, just to have it bogged down by their junk.

Comment #2 Martin from Kansas -

How much is clogging Linux systems? Very, very little.

The difference between Linux and Windows in one aspect is very significant.

With windows you have too many programs that alter the operating system. When you are just surfing in windows you have too much control over the operating system (even with their so-called user vs administrator accounts). Whatever control you have over the system can be used by any program you run.

With linux when you operate as a user you have very little control over the operating system. When new programs are installed they don't (generally) mess with the operating system (like windows programs and DLL and registry changes).

If your operating system had you surf in a "virtual" environment was that cleared out and started clean everytime you booted up... at worst you could be infected for a single session with something.

Comment #3 Sam from Net -

I have good firewall installed which keeps me reporting whole day about which program is trying to access the net and sending information. Now initially I was little annoyed with this feature but later I realised that at least now I know who is sending what. Actually many have come to know about Windows internal architecture, that is why Linux is still safe.

Comment #4 Milly from Wisconsin -

I don't think you could run a PC without some sort of spyware or virsus protection. I wonder how long your pc would last without such protection. A day?

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