Computer parasites (the Encyclopedia)

Computer parasites

Computer parasites are unsolicited malicious programs, which are installed to the system without user knowledge and consent. Most of these threats silently run in background, so you can't notice them. If you have running suspicious processes, strange toolbars in your web browser, changed system settings, undesirable pop-ups or your system runs too slowly and unstably, then there is a huge possibility that your computer is infected with some parasites.

Parasite functionality and payload may vary depending on its type and its author's intentions. Some malicious programs such as viruses, trojans or worms are designed to corrupt files and damage the entire system. Others like spyware, keyloggers or browser hijackers are primarily intended to violate user privacy by stealing his sensitive information like identity data, passwords or credit card numbers.

We provide thousands of different parasite descriptions divided into major categories. If you have a computer parasite problem, try to identify the threat and go deeply through our project to find its removal instructions. If you want to solve your problem easy way, then go to our antispyware reviews section and choose software by you needs. There are hundred up to date reviews on site, choose wisely, because there are lots of bad products in spyware theme. Dont waste your money. We advice you to use one of recommended software.

Parasites by categories:

Total parasites in our DB: 6774

Worms - WHAT IS A WORM? A worm is a malicious self-replicating computer program designed to... Adware - WHAT IS ADWARE? Adware is any computer program that displays advertisements while the... Browser Hijackers - WHAT IS A BROWSER HIJACKER? A browser hijacker is a malicious program, usually a web... Browser Plugins - WHAT IS A BROWSER PLUGIN? A browser plugin (or plug-in) is a computer program that... Keyloggers - WHAT IS A KEYLOGGER? A keylogger is a computer program that logs each keystroke a user... Network Management Tools - Network Management Tools are the programs which can log and examine network traffic,... Dialers - WHAT IS A DIALER? A dialer is a program that uses a computer’s modem to... Malware - Malware are the programs which usually installs without user knowledge / consent and... Remote Administration Tools - WHAT IS A REMOTE ADMINISTRATION TOOL? A remote administration tool (or RAT) is a program... Trojans - WHAT IS A TROJAN? A trojan (or trojan horse) is a malicious computer program that is... Viruses - WHAT IS A VIRUS? A virus is a malicious computer program or programming code that... Carding - Credit card fraud. Carding programs and documents offers information and methods how to...

Flooders - Flooders are the programs thats tries to overload a connection by sending various... AOL parasites - WHAT IS AN AOL PARASITE? An AOL parasite is a malicious computer program designed to... Cracks - Cracks are software created to modify other software. Usual purpose is to remove... Mail bombers - WHAT IS A MAIL BOMBER? A mail bomber is a computer program designed to flood user e-mail... Nukers - WHAT IS A NUKER? A nuker is a malicious trojan alike computer program that carries a... Sniffers - WHAT IS A SNIFFER? A sniffer, also known as a network analyzer, packet sniffer or... SPAM tools - SPAM Tools are various programs created to work with huge amount of email addresses.... Spyware - WHAT IS SPYWARE? Spyware is any software designed to collect user personal information... Backdoors - WHAT IS BACKDOOR? A backdoor is a malicious computer program or particular means that... Ransomware - WHAT IS RANSOMWARE? Ransomware is a type of malicious computer software that threatens... Corrupt websites - Corrupt websites are internet sites, that distribute malware or try to gather sensitive...

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List of Spyware parasites

Spyware is any software designed to collect user personal information and send it out through a background Internet connection without the user's knowledge and consent. Spyware silently tracks user's web browsing habits, records visited web sites and logs taken actions. This activity allows spyware vendors to gather data for marketing and advertising purposes.

Spyware form and functionality may vary depending on vendor intentions. However, a particular program that uses an Internet connection to transfer data, which can be used to identify the user, is always classified as spyware.

Some programs mistakenly called spyware actually do not collect any vital information about the user and use a background Internet channel to transfer general statistics. They do not steal your name, contacts or any other details and therefore do not violate your privacy. Lots of legal advertising applications or ad-supported products such as a legitimate web browser Opera fall into this category. Although legal adware programs potentially are able to spy on a user, they shouldn't be accused of privacy violation, as proper use of adware is a legal revenue model for many software companies that allows to distribute complex commercial products for free.
Here the list of spyware parasites :

Ace ScreenSpy Acext AIM Logger All-In-One Spy ALSEDI Desktop Adviser AntiSpyCheck Arau Ashlt ASObserver Belcaro GoldenRetriever Bemonitor Blackbox Chat Watch ChatBlocker ClientSniffer Conducent TimeSink Desktop Spy Digi Watcher Dotcomtoolbar e2give Email Redirector Email Spy EmailObserver Employee Watcher

EScorcher Expedioware Ezurl FamilyCam Farsighter FirstLook GURL Watcher Heoms Hidden Recorder HSLAB Logger IESearch IESpy InlookExpress Inspexep Internet Spy InternetAlert IPInsight Jgidol LinkReplacer Look2Me LympexPCSpy MarketScore Message Spy Modem Spy MSN Chat Monitor and Sniffer

MSN Sniffer MSNPAnalyzer MySuperSpy NetRadar NetRatings NoWayVirus NT Logon Capture OverPro PC Police Gold Print Monitor Probot Red Handed Relevancy RemEye Remote Password Stealer Rewardnet SafeSurfing SavingBot Shopper SearchPounder SearchTerms Sesui Shazaa Sifr SnoopStick

SongSpy Spectre Spie Spy4PC SpyAOL SpyGatorPro SpyReaper SrchSpy SrchSpy.b StartSurfing Stealth Web Page Recorder Stealth Website Logger Supaseek Surf Spy Surfcomp Surfing Spy SurfPlayer SurfPlus TAFbar Teensearch Bar Timesink Torpig.b TrustyHound TwoSeven User Logger

WAYS OF INFECTION

Spyware parasites differ from regular viruses. They do not spread by themselves and usually must be installed as any other software with or without the user’s consent. Some rare pests are able to exploit system security vulnerabilities and act similarly to worms. There are three major ways undesirable spyware program can get into the system.

1. Many spyware vendors deceive the user by presenting a particular spyware program as a useful tool, for example, a powerful web search service, fast download manager or reliable Internet accelerator. Users download and install such programs. However, practically all of them appear to be either completely useless or ineffective. Although in most cases users can uninstall such programs, spyware components stay in the system and remain fully functional.
2. Lots of free, ad-supported or shareware products are bundled with small add-ons needed by the host program to work properly. These add-ons actually are third-party spyware parasites. Uninstalling the host application not always removes bundled spyware.
3. Most widely spread spyware programs get into the system using Internet Explorer ActiveX controls or exploiting certain web browser vulnerabilities. Their vendors run insecure web sites filled with malicious code or distribute unsafe advertising pop-ups. Whenever the user visits such a site or clicks on such a pop-up, harmful scripts instantly install spyware. The user cannot notice anything suspicious, as parasites do not display any setup wizards, dialogs or warnings.

It is known that some spyware can also be dropped by specific viruses, trojans or worms.

Spyware affects mostly computers running Microsoft Windows operating system.

WHAT SPYWARE DOES?

- Steals sensitive personal information, identity details, monitors everything the user does online, tracks web browsing habits and sends all collected data to a remote server.
- Serves undesirable advertisements, displays large amount of annoying pop-ups. Such activity is specific to most illegal adware parasites.
- Redirects a web browser to advertising sites or commercial Internet search services whenever the user enters an incorrect site address or even without any obvious reasons.
- Changes web browser's default start and search pages to advertising sites and prevents the user from restoring initial settings. Such activity is common for all browser hijackers.
- Creates numerous links to advertising resources, places desktop shortcuts to third-party spyware sites, adds multiple bookmarks to the web browser's Favorites list.
- Modifies essential settings of a web browser, decreases overall system security level by enabling certain web browser's features that allow to quietly run any web scripts or install any software from the Internet.
- Connects a compromised computer to the Internet through high-cost phone number without user knowledge. This activity is specific to so called dialers. The system can be affected only if a modem is installed.
- Degrades overall system performance and causes software instability. Some parasites are badly programmed, they waste too much computer resources and conflict with installed applications.
- Provides no uninstall feature, hides processes, files and other objects in order to obstruct its removal as much as possible.

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Unlock Information

The service provider (SP) lock is used to lock
the cell phone to the SP's SIM card. Once the
cell phone is locked to a specific operator, if
one inserts a SIM card from a different
operator the phone will refuse to accept it! The
cell phone will however accept another
SIM card from the same operator.

All Nokia phones (2110 and newer) have four
different SIM locks which can be used to lock

the phone for upto 4 different providers. But
most phones with restriction only have one
lock activated. ( lock 1)

The main code used in Nokia phones is:
#pw+(master code)+Y#
This code is able to check, activate or remove
Sim card restriction (SP-lock).
Use the * key to get the p, + and w chars.
'Y' has to be 1,2,3 or 4 - depending of what lock
you what to deal with.

#pw+1234567890+1# for Provider-Lock status
#pw+1234567890+2# for Network-Lock status
#pw+1234567890+3# for Country-Lock status
#pw+1234567890+4# for SimCard-Lock status

# = DOUBLE-CROSS
W = PRESS "*" THREE TIMES
P = PRESS "*" FOUR TIMES
+ = PRESS "*" TWO TIMES
MASTERCODE = 1234567890
Y = NUMBER 1 TO 4

(master code) is a 10 digit code, based on the
phones IMEI number.
(I can NOT give you the master code - SO DON'T
ASK ME FOR IT !!!!!!!)

Eg. To remove restriction on lock 1 type
following code:
#pw+(master code)+1#
If you just want to check your phone use 10
random numbers Eg. 1234567890 as the (master
code)
eg. To check if phone if restricted on lock 1
type the following code:
#pw+1234567890+1#

Please NOTE that these codes could be used with
care! A user told me that it's only possible
to type in about 3 different codes on each lock!
Then something bad will happen ..therefore be
careful!

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Finding your Masercode

There are some tips here to unlock your mobile
phone. All of them require something called a
mastercode.

So, how do you find out your mastercode? Search
through the newsgroups using
DejaNews and look for an article entitled: 'How
to unlock your Nokia
phone...' this contains a program called: 'nokia
masterkey gen.exe'

check out http://www.nkmobile.co.uk/ also.

Run the program and you will be asked for your
Service Providers code :

Cellnet 234-10
One2One/Virgin 234-30
Orange 234-33
Vodafone 234-15
and then enter your phones IMEI number (enter
*#06# into your phone - see
above).

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