Information technology office warns spyware may lurk on your PC
(Nov. 12, 2003)--That innocent-looking toolbar that you added to your Internet browser may not be so innocent.
Sure, you get to spruce up your e-mail messages with smiley face icons, but if you downloaded and installed the popular Hotbar software program, you might want to consider removing it.
Somewhere in the install process, you clicked "I Agree" to the 7,000-word Terms of Use and End User Licensing Agreement. You have essentially agreed to allow the software to monitor every Web site that you visit.
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The software also keeps track of what you type into search engines. The agreement grants Hotbar the right to download information to and install cookies on your PC and to allow third-party sites an opportunity to display their ads on your PC and to see what cookies you already have.
All in all, spyware knows who you are and what you do with your PC.
To check your PC for spyware, go to the and.doxdesk.com Web site. When you go to this Web site, it will automatically run a script that checks for spyware on your PC.
For help with removing spyware from any UTSA-owned PC, call the Help Desk at 210-458-5538.
For help with removing spyware from home PCs, Ad-Aware and SpyBot Search and Destroy are two highly-recommended spyware removal tools. They are free and can be downloaded at ZDNet.com and other Web sites.