The Spyware Epidemic: Dealing with 'Legal' Malicious Code

The Spyware Epidemic:
Dealing With "Legal"
Malicious Code
Table of Contents PART 1: INTRODUCTION TO SPYWARE ........................................................ 3 Overview .........................................................................................................3 Why is Spyware a threat?...............................................................................4 Why is information gathering so dangerous? .................................................4 Adware, Spyware and In-Between..................................................................5 Are Cookies Spyware? ...................................................................................6 PART 2: SECURITY THREATS...................................................................... 7 Security Policy Breach ....................................................................................7 Browser Tracking ............................................................................................7 Information Theft.............................................................................................7 Confidentiality Breach .....................................................................................7 Key Logging ....................................................................................................8 Dialers.............................................................................................................8 Automatic Code Updates................................................................................8 Spyware Security Holes..................................................................................8 PART 3: TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF SPYWARE............................................... 9 Where do they come from?.............................................................................9 Indication of Infection ....................................................................................10 Inside the System .........................................................................................10 Modes of Operation ......................................................................................11 Information Gathering: ..........................................................................................11 Advertising: ...........................................................................................................11 PART 4: SPYWARE BLOCKING CHALLENGES............................................ 14 Spyware Legal Issues...................................................................................14 Existing Solutions and Associated Problems................................................14 Legislation.............................................................................................................15 Desktop Solutions .................................................................................................15 Gateway Solutions ................................................................................................15 PART 5: BLOCKING SPYWARE WITH ESAFE .............................................. 16 eSafe Spyware Defense Overview ...............................................................16 eSafe's four layers Spyware blocking ...................................................................16 Layer 1: Spyware Download Blocking ..........................................................16 Layer 2: Spyware ID blocking .......................................................................16 Layer 3: Spyware signature blocking............................................................16 Layer 4: Spyware communications blocking.................................................17 Automatic Updates........................................................................................17 APPENDIX: ESAFE TECHNOLOGIES........................................................... 18

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Part 1: Introduction to Spyware
Overview According to a recent survey held by the National Cyber Security Alliance and America Online, 80% of History of Adware / Spyware home computers tested were infected with an . 1995: First "Freeware": Truly free average of 93 different types of spyware. At any applications with no additional given time it is estima... [download for more]