Now that we are all so well-educated about spyware, can we put the bad guys out of business?

Abstract

The phenomenon known variously as spyware, adware, or malware has grown exponentially in the past few years and has been swamping our computer systems, much like email spam but significantly worse in every sense of the word.Complicating the matter, the line between viruses and spyware is rapidly blurring, largely because of the increasing sophistication of this spyware and the multiplication of "bots." While it is possible that university students are even more susceptible than the general public, it is certainly true that this is a serious national problem.Learning to identify and remove these insidious files is a critical step in securing computers and networks and in enabling faculty, staff, and students to complete their work safely and efficiently.