Slashdot Mirror
Most Web Users Unable to Spot Spyware
Ben writes "According to a Spyware Quiz conducted by McAfee SiteAdvisor , a staggering 97% of Internet users are just one click away from infecting their PCs with spyware. One interesting conclusion from this study showed that even users with a high "Spyware IQ" have a nearly 100% chance of visiting a dangerous site during 30 days of typical online searching and browsing activity."
I came across a 7th grader who managed to load up a Win98 machine with 14 different pieces of spyware with 1 click in IE. We wiped the machine with an industrial strength removal program, installed Firefox, locked it down, and asked her to go out to the same website. NOTHING - not one single piece of spyware - got through on Firefox. At that moment, I converted for life.
The point is that this hosts file offers 11,000 lines worth of links - that link back to 127.0.0.1
You try to go to www.screensaver.com, for example - and you can't. What a wonderful sounding place to get a screensaver - but apparently it offers spyware or tracks you - don't believe and want to go anyhow? Turn off your hosts file or comment out the line. Simple.
You can read every entry. Nothing hidden. Simple. Preventative. Free. And nothing to install. What more can you ask for?