About Scumware

Your browser, especially if you are using Internet Explorer, may have scumware or spyware attached without you knowing it. While the names often may mean something slightly different, here are some terms used to describe this type of software: adware, badware, theftware, scumware, spyware, malware, trojanware.

This software may be installed on your computer when you install freeware, shareware, or even programs purchased through normal channels. Usually uninstalling the initial program will not remove the spyware that was installed along with it. For instance, you find a freeware game, we will call it "Super ZXY", and you install it on your computer. However, it also installs a spyware program and a plug-in on your browser. You notice all kinds of pop-ups, you computer has become very slow, and often stalls, so you decide to remove the program "Super Town" from you computer. You find that the program "Super ZXY" is easy to remove but the scumware was not removed. Your computer continues to run slow, stalls, and you continue to have pop-ups.

In some cases such software is installed on your computer when you simply visit a site. On many sites you may be asked if you wish to install the software, but I have come across sites that don't ask but simply install the software when you open a page on the site, or if they do ask, and you say "no", it is installed anyway. The sites usually use some kind of "free" service to lure people to the site.

Another way such software may be installed on your computer is through email [usually containing some kind of advertisement or "free" offer; often just clicking on an email will trigger the installation of such a program, sometimes without you even knowing it.

Not only do scumware and spyware programs often steal the referral fees from siteowners, but many programs attached to your browser may be keeping track of your activities and/or causing pop-ups to appear on your screen. Since these pop-ups may appear while you are visiting any site, you may be led to think that the siteowner has attached pop-ups to the page, when in fact this may not be true. (We do not have pop-ups on our pages.)

Often a cookie is installed on your computer where certain activities are recorded and then used to selectively send advertising to your computer in the form of pop-ups or perhaps by sending you to a page where products are advertised as you use a search engine. The owner of the software, of course, receives advertising fees for sending you pop-ups or for sending you to sites of their clients.

In some cases, if the installer has your email addresss [which may be obtained as you "register" your freeware or shareware software], your email address is entered into 'interest' lists that are used to promote advertising to you, or sold to spammers who then send you email, supposedly based on your 'interests.'

I personally do not object to freeware authors putting banners or advertisements within their own programs, and updating such advertisements. However, I am very upset that anyone should feel they have a right to invade my computer otherwise, and actually install plug-ins into the browser itself, especially without my consent.

Sad to say, a virus scan program does not usually look for these types of scumware. You will need a good program that will remove such from your computer, and then effectively block such from being installed.

WARNING! According to some comments we have read, one program designed to remover spyware, entitled "Spyware Nuker", actually is itself a scumware program.
Click Here and HERE to read more about this.

As much as I like the Google search engine, Google [as well as some other services] has introduced a toolbar that is being installed on many computers that has caused some concern amongst website owners who sell products. This toolbar is now being automatically installed as you install some browsers. While it is not as bad as some toolbars that aggressively seek to divert sales from the owner a website you may visit, it is possible that this toolbar may actually steal sales from website owners that you visit, so that any referral fees could go to Google rather than the site owner. If the site owner is selling as an affiliate for another company, such we do for Amazon, not only could it rob the site owner, but it could also rob the online merchant for which the siteowner is linked to and is selling for. For instance, if a siteowner has a item for sell with an unlinked ibsn number in its description, and a link to sell this produce for XYZ company, Google's adlink feature could lure the buyer to the same product at the Amazon site, or any other site that Google would obtain the referral fee. (There are other toolbars and plug-ins by other companies that will do the same thing, and even more.) So not only would the siteowner lose his referral fee, so also the XYZ company would lose the sell to another company. More information on this can be found at these links:
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0%2C1759%2C1766846%2C00.asp
http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showthread.php?t=4292&highlight=autolink
http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/050225-104317
http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum80/825.htm
http://irish.typepad.com/irisheyes/2005/02/google_rewites_.html

The link below contains a java script for webmasters to use that will block Google's autolink. I recommend that webmasters especially put it on pages that have unlinked IBSN/ASIN numbers for items being sold, as I have read that Google's autolink searches the page for such numbers.
http://javascript.internet.com/miscellaneous/autoblink.html

Many claim Spy Sweeper is the best for removing spyware and keeping it off your system. For more information on this program, CLICK HERE. One recommends that you do the following to keep this program from slowing your computer: Under "Shields", uncheck "Memory Shield"; under "Options", check "Disable Splash Screen".

Click Here for Sofware to remove spyware from your computer (US)

Click Here for Sofware to remove spyware from your computer (Canada)

Click Here for Sofware to remove spyware from your computer (United Kingdom)

Click Here for Books about Spyware (USA)

Click Here for books about Spyware (Canada)

Click Here for Books about Spyware (United Kingdom)

Spybot - Offers a free program to detect and remove spyware and scumware from your computer.

Here are some places to learn more about scumware and ways to remove such from your computer:

The Scumware Threat To Web Content

What is Spyware - an article

News item concerning the problem

Scumware.com - Searches your browser for two types of scumware; there is also a lot of information for both webmasters and computer owners.

The Trouble With Spyware & Advertising-Supported Software

Is It Spyware On this site you can enter the name of freeware that you might want to download to see if it contains spyware.

Index of Known Spyware

Thiefware Discussion - Discussions on thiefware, scumware, adware, spyware, parasiteware.

Usnet discussions about spyware