Sly spyware chokes campus computers

Campus technicians nationwide find student computers teeming with spyware, virus-like software programs, and are scarcely equipped to get rid of it, officials said.

Spyware sets up shop on computers without invitation, hidden in downloaded software or Web sites. The program distributes private information, often slowing computers, welcoming pop-up ads and creating many of the problems that send students to repair centers.

About 80 percent to 90 percent of the computers brought into UNC-Chapel Hill’s Information Technology Service Resource Center are infected by spyware, said Patrick Watkins, an ITSRC technician.

“Spyware is the seed of a lot of problems,” he said. “We just kind of get inundated.”

Watkins estimates that 80 percent of the time, spyware originates from illegal downloads. The recent start of UNC-CH’s legal music downloading program might curb the trend.

Spyware targets networks, giving the software access to many computers, said Jeff Webster, information technology security coordinator for N.C. State University.

“If you’re going to write a program, you’re going to go for the biggest audience you can get.”

Spyware runs constantly, sending information out to other networks and getting ads back in return. It can wear out a computer’s hard drive or cripple an entire school’s network, Watkins said.

If a UNC-CH computer is busy enough to clog the network, its connection is terminated until the spyware can be removed.

While combatting the effects of spyware, system schools try to give students tips on how to avoid it.

They often suggest running anti-spyware software such as Spybot and Ad-Aware at least once a month, said James Shook, Appalachian State University computer consultant.

Spybot now comes pre-installed on CCI laptops, Watkins said.

To lower the chances of getting spyware at all, Watkins suggests downloading only from trusted sites and not clicking on unknown links.

Often, when sites demand a download before allowing access to a page, it’s unnecessary, Watkins said. A related page probably can be accessed through search engines, and many of the programs are available for free on UNC-CH’s site.

“A good rule of thumb — never download it,” Watkins said.

Spyware attaches to certain sites or software programs for a fee. The producers pay individuals or companies for a piggyback ride they hope will land them with bigger profits.

It also can read important data such as passwords and credit card numbers. Watkins said spyware used for identity theft recently was found on a UNC-CH student’s computer.

Spyware is more often used to track sites a computer user visits, tailoring pop-up ads to the person’s perceived interests.

“(Users) consent to let (companies) install a 24-hour commercial on their computer,” Watkins said.

These companies skirt laws about openness by bending the definition of spyware or revealing it only in fine print.

Users are sometimes warned about spyware before installation but consent to it without reading. “We’re so used to clicking next, next, next,” Watkins said.

Even programs offering to get rid of spyware sometimes contain it, he said.

There are many ways to guard against spyware, but none are foolproof, Watkins added. Sometimes, the careful user is just as vulnerable as the freewheeling downloader.

“If you go hang out in a sick ward, chances are you’re going to get sick,” he said. “But even if you’re the person in a clean room with Lysol, you can still get sick.”

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.