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Yeah, you regularly run spyware scanners (you do, right?), but they don't catch everything. X-RayPC shows you everything that's running on your computer, and lets you terminate any process you wish. An online interface allows you to send the program list to its home server, and it reports back on whether any particular process is OK, known malicious, or unknown. This is definitely a powerful, nerdy tool: you can remove important components of your operating system with this tool, so proceed with great caution. But for those perplexing problems, this is a great addition to your toolkit, and it's free for personal use. From This is True for 22 May 2005 Suggestions for further reading:
 By: Wallace Wang List Price: $29.95 Amazon Price: $19.77 Editorial Review: If ever a book on cyberculture wore a fedora and trench coat and leaned against a lamppost on a foggy street, this is the one. It is an unabashed look at the dark side of the Net--the stuff many other books gloss over. It's hard-edged, wisecracking, and often quite cynical as it pours over the reality of online scams, illegal activities, and simple annoyances. Wang's stated goal is to open the reader's eyes about what's really there. He shows what's being done, how it's being done, and how to avoid problems or even strike back. He begins with a chapter about the news media, and his message is that no source is to be trusted completely. He examines issues important to Internet users: the cost of getting computerized (with tips on how to find the real bargains), who is using the Internet as a source of hate information, and how your privacy can be invaded and protected. He shows you the secrets of malicious hackers and others and how some of them attack computer systems without the ethical mindset typical of the original, idealistic hackers. Wang shows you how you can set up your defenses against such an onslaught, discussing how to protect yourself and your kids from online stalkers and how online con games work. Wang never claims that the Internet is the electronic den of darkness that the pop media make it out to be. But he makes it clear that something this big has its lowlights--it's own "net noir." His messages are "know your enemy" and "be careful who you trust," an ideology verified by the examples he provides. --Elizabeth Lewis National bestseller with over 175,000 copies sold! If you thought hacking was just about mischief-makers hunched over computers in the basement, think again. As seasoned author Wallace Wang explains, hacking can also mean questioning the status quo, looking for your own truths, and never accepting at face value anything authorities say or do. The completely revised fourth edition of this offbeat, non-technical book examines what hackers do, how they do it, and how you can protect yourself. Written in the same informative, irreverent, and entertaining style that made the first three editions hugely successful, Steal This Computer Book 4.0 will expand your mind and raise your eyebrows. New chapters discuss the hacker mentality, social engineering and lock picking, exploiting P2P file-sharing networks, and how people manipulate search engines and pop-up ads to obtain and use personal information. Wang also takes issue with the media for "hacking" the news and presenting the public with self-serving stories of questionable accuracy. Inside, you'll discover: How to manage and fight spam and spyware How Trojan horse programs and rootkits work, and how to defend against them How hackers steal software and defeat copy-protection mechanisms How to tell if your machine is being attacked and what you can do to protect it Where the hackers are, how they probe a target and sneak into a computer, and what they do once they get inside How corporations use hacker techniques to infect your computer and invade your privacy How you can lock down your computer to protect your data and your personal information using free programs included on the book's CD If you ve ever logged onto a website, conducted an online transaction, sent or received email, used a networked computer, or even watched the evening news, you may have already been tricked, tracked, hacked, and manipulated. As the saying goes, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you. And, as Wallace Wang reveals, they probably are. The companion CD contains hundreds of megabytes of 100% FREE hacking and security-related programs, like keyloggers, spyware stoppers, port blockers, IP scanners, Trojan horse detectors, and much, much more. CD compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.  By: Andy Walker List Price: $21.99 Amazon Price: $14.95 Editorial Review: Batten down the hatches! Hackers, spammers and thieves (oh my!) are after you! The mere act of turning on an Internet-connected computer can put you, your family, and your personal finances at risk by exposing you to viruses, scam artists, hackers, identity thieves, and spammers. How do you fight back? Absolute Beginner's Guide to Security, Spam, Spyware and Viruses is your first line of defense.
Clear, easy-to-understand definitions of viruses, spyware, and hackers will help you understand what you're up against everytime you go online. Then, you'll learn about other threats, such as identity theft, phishing, and other potential dangers you'll face in your everyday computing. Find out how to search out and destroy spyware, malware and other viscious programs that could potentially harm your computer. Then find out how to lock out hackers, spammers, and theives for good.
We'll tell you how to immediately cut the risk of being attacked in half — in less than 10 minutes! Protect your bank accounts, digital photos, digital music collection, masters thesis, and everything you hold near and dear on your computer with the help of the Absolute Beginner's Guide to Security, Spam, Spyware and Viruses.  By: Ed Tittel List Price: $29.99 Amazon Price: $29.99 Editorial Review: Think there's no malicious software on your computer? PC Magazine thinks you should think again. Scans by ISPs have revealed as many as twenty-eight spyware programs running on the average home computer—like yours. That's a lot of people prying into what's on your PC, and a DSL or cable connection is a virtual welcome mat. But by following Ed Tittel's advice, you can learn how invasions occur, spot an infestation, repair damage that's already done, and slam the door on those who want to hijack your PC—along with your wallet. Here's how you can Learn to recognize when a Trojan horse, a virus, adware, or spyware has invaded your PC Get the tools that can cure an infection Dig into the Windows Registry to remove the nastiest of bugs Prevent a recurrence with personal firewalls and protective software Deal with the onslaught of spam Keep your defenses up-to-date Give it the boot If you believe you've caught something and you're willing to kiss everything goodbye that you've added to or changed ... since the last time you booted up your computer ... try this. While Windows is first booting up, hit the F8 key .... Choose the Last Known Good Configuration option, and Windows should boot running the version of the Registry that existed the last time your system booted—that is, before you got infected.  By: R. J. Pineiro List Price: $7.99 Amazon Price: $7.99 Editorial Review: Mac Savage, a former CIA officer; Marie Kovacs, a former nanotechnology scientist turned missionary; and Kate Chavez, a Texas Ranger investigating a murder, join forces to unravel a global conspiracy that starts with the diamond industry and ends with a plan to eliminate the human race. The Donovan Group, a high-powered global conglomerate, has used diamond-based technology to create an overarching artificial intelligence, known as ANNE. Using spyware nanotechnology implants, the group’s members have interfaced their brains with this super-intelligent AI. They have become virtual super geniuses and physical extensions of ANNE. With each wired-in member ANNE becomes smarter and more powerful. She has one ultimate goal: to save the planet Earth by eliminating the disease that is consuming it—the human race. Tapping the world's digital backbone to manipulate its millions of loyal disciples, this AI-god turns ordinary citizens into fanatical soldiers. Her deadly agenda will propel Savage, Kovacs, and Chavez to the center of a battle for the survival of our species.  By: Paul PiccardJeremy Faircloth List Price: $49.95 Amazon Price: $49.95 Editorial Review: Combating Spyware in the Enterprise is the first book published on defending enterprise networks from increasingly sophisticated and malicious spyware. System administrators and security professionals responsible for administering and securing networks ranging in size from SOHO networks up the largest, enterprise networks will learn to use a combination of free and commercial anti-spyware software, firewalls, intrusion detection systems, intrusion prevention systems, and host integrity monitoring applications to prevent the installation of spyware, and to limit the damage caused by spyware that does in fact infiltrate their network. Combating Spyware in the Enterprise begins by examining the various types of insidious spyware and adware currently propagating across the internet and infiltrating enterprise networks. This section closely examines spyware's ongoing transformation from nuisance to malicious, sophisticated attack vector. Next, the book uncovers spyware's intricate economy and network of malicious hackers and criminals. Forensic investigations presented in this section of the book reveal how increasingly sophisticated spyware can compromise enterprise networks via trojans, keystroke loggers, system monitoring, distributed denial of service attacks, backdoors, viruses, and worms. After close examination of these attack vectors, the book begins to detail both manual and automated techniques for scanning your network for the presence of spyware, and customizing your IDS and IPS to detect spyware. From here, the book goes on to detail how to prevent spyware from being initially installed to mitigating the damage inflicted by spyware should your network become infected. Techniques discussed in this section include slowing the exposure rate; web filtering; using FireFox, MacOSX, or Linux; patching and updating, machine restrictions, shielding, deploying anti-spyware, and re-imaging. The book concludes with an analysis of the future of spyware and what the security community must accomplish to win the ware against spyware. |
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