Protecting Your Pc Against Dialers
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Software exists for almost everything under the sun. There is an application or tool for just about any intent or purpose a computer user has. Programs are continually being written, developed and released to the public. Most are useful and safe to purchase or download but some arent quite so safe. The word virus is most often used to describe these programs but not all dangerous software is truly a virus. Some fall into another category called malware. The word malware is a combination of the words malicious and software. In the early days of computer programming, viruses and annoying programs were generally written as pranks by students and not considered really malicious or mean-spirited. Some of these rogue programmers became bolder over time. Eventually, they began to target larger organizations and companies, just to see how much mischief they could cause. As awareness and media coverage of these events grew, so did the danger to the average computer user. The motivation for creating these malware programs is no longer just for laughs or even bragging rights the motivation is money. Some of these programmers have found way to profit from more than just their skills. One malware program that exists for no other reason than to make money is called a dialer. Dialers get installed on your PC in the same way as most malware and viruses. Unsolicited e-mail messages with attachments, banner ads and pop-ups can contain concealed dialers. Sometimes even simply visiting a camouflaged rogue website is enough to trigger drive by installations, which exploit weaknesses in your browser or operating system. They may come bundled with free programs. Some purveyors of malware will lure users by posting links that misleadingly promise to provide free software or virus removal tools on legitimate blogs or bulletin boards. A dialer is a simple and effective idea. Once installed on your PC, it directs your modem to connect, using your phone lines, to a 1-900 phone number. It doesnt replicate itself or e-mail itself to your contacts; it doesnt invade other programs or shut down your computer. But that simple action is quite enough to run up a huge phone bill for the victim and gain a tidy profit for the holder of that toll number. The dialer might only use this 900 number when you use your dial-up connection to access the Internet or it may dial out on its own. As anyone who has had a conversation with a phone company knows, having a charge removed is a long and arduous process. The victim doesnt know that charges are being racked up until the bill arrives. By that time, it may be too late to report the issue without an interruption in his home phone service. Proving that the calls were not made intentionally is very difficult for the PC owner to do, making dialers a problem. Because the dialer is not performing those other actions, like replicating itself or damaging programs, its not considered a true virus so many antivirus programs may not locate or eliminate it. Seeking out dialers and other malware components is not usually within the abilities of the typical PC owner. These factors make a dialer hard to find and eradicate. The good news is that protecting your PC against dialers is becoming easier as technology advances. Dial-up connections are being used by fewer users as DSL, cable modems and satellite connections are made widely available. These broadband services offer faster connections and greater speed in web surfing and downloading. Broadband is becoming more affordable, too, as cable and phone companies are striving to compete in a difficult economy. Many phone and cable companies bundle services together in order to gain a greater share of the market. Using a broadband connection eliminates the threat of a dialer because the internet connection is no longer being made by dialing a phone number. If you currently use or switch over to broadband, be sure to disconnect or disable your old dial-up modem so it can no longer be accessed by a dialer program. If broadband connections are not available to you or not within your budget, then invest in a good firewall for your PC. Firewalls notify the user if a program is attempting to make a connection and then request the user to give permission for the connection to be made. This gives the user control over what programs are allowed to dial out of the system. Firewalls can be installed as either hardware or software. Windows XP comes with its own built-in software firewall. Consider upgrading your operating system if you are using an older version. Newer operating systems have been developed with the most up-to-date methods of fighting all types of viruses, spyware, adware and malware including dialers. Dialers may be an on-line concern, but you do have the means protect your PC.
Software exists for almost everything under the sun. There is an application or tool for just about any intent or purpose a computer user has. Programs are continually being written, developed and released to the public. Most are useful and safe to purchase or download but some arent quite so safe. The word virus is most often used to describe these programs but not all dangerous software is truly a virus. Some fall into another category called malware. The word malware is a combination of the words malicious and software. In the early days of computer programming, viruses and annoying programs were generally written as pranks by students and not considered really malicious or mean-spirited. Some of these rogue programmers became bolder over time. Eventually, they began to target larger organizations and companies, just to see how much mischief they could cause. As awareness and media coverage of these events grew, so did the danger to the average computer user. The motivation for creating these malware programs is no longer just for laughs or even bragging rights the motivation is money. Some of these programmers have found way to profit from more than just their skills. One malware program that exists for no other reason than to make money is called a dialer. Dialers get installed on your PC in the same way as most malware and viruses. Unsolicited e-mail messages with attachments, banner ads and pop-ups can contain concealed dialers. Sometimes even simply visiting a camouflaged rogue website is enough to trigger drive by installations, which exploit weaknesses in your browser or operating system. They may come bundled with free programs. Some purveyors of malware will lure users by posting links that misleadingly promise to provide free software or virus removal tools on legitimate blogs or bulletin boards. A dialer is a simple and effective idea. Once installed on your PC, it directs your modem to connect, using your phone lines, to a 1-900 phone number. It doesnt replicate itself or e-mail itself to your contacts; it doesnt invade other programs or shut down your computer. But that simple action is quite enough to run up a huge phone bill for the victim and gain a tidy profit for the holder of that toll number. The dialer might only use this 900 number when you use your dial-up connection to access the Internet or it may dial out on its own. As anyone who has had a conversation with a phone company knows, having a charge removed is a long and arduous process. The victim doesnt know that charges are being racked up until the bill arrives. By that time, it may be too late to report the issue without an interruption in his home phone service. Proving that the calls were not made intentionally is very difficult for the PC owner to do, making dialers a problem. Because the dialer is not performing those other actions, like replicating itself or damaging programs, its not considered a true virus so many antivirus programs may not locate or eliminate it. Seeking out dialers and other malware components is not usually within the abilities of the typical PC owner. These factors make a dialer hard to find and eradicate. The good news is that protecting your PC against dialers is becoming easier as technology advances. Dial-up connections are being used by fewer users as DSL, cable modems and satellite connections are made widely available. These broadband services offer faster connections and greater speed in web surfing and downloading. Broadband is becoming more affordable, too, as cable and phone companies are striving to compete in a difficult economy. Many phone and cable companies bundle services together in order to gain a greater share of the market. Using a broadband connection eliminates the threat of a dialer because the internet connection is no longer being made by dialing a phone number. If you currently use or switch over to broadband, be sure to disconnect or disable your old dial-up modem so it can no longer be accessed by a dialer program. If broadband connections are not available to you or not within your budget, then invest in a good firewall for your PC. Firewalls notify the user if a program is attempting to make a connection and then request the user to give permission for the connection to be made. This gives the user control over what programs are allowed to dial out of the system. Firewalls can be installed as either hardware or software. Windows XP comes with its own built-in software firewall. Consider upgrading your operating system if you are using an older version. Newer operating systems have been developed with the most up-to-date methods of fighting all types of viruses, spyware, adware and malware including dialers. Dialers may be an on-line concern, but you do have the means protect your PC.