You have just received the Amish virus. As the Amish don’t have any technology or programming experience, this virus works on the honor system. Please delete all the files from your hard drive and manually forward this virus to everyone on your mailing list. Thank you for your cooperation.”
As a computer technician, the first time I read this joke, I laughed out loud. Yep, I thought to myself, ain’t that the truth. I know from both personal and professional experience that spyware programmers can cause a lot of damage not only to a computer but also to your personal life if they have access to your sensitive files.
But all jokes aside, the most dangerous person who can access your machine is not some remote foreign hacker but you and your family. Often when I visit a client who is having spyware issues, I often find that the bulk of their problems are self inflicted.
Malicious programmers can only hide their products inside of innocent looking pop-ups, webpages or “freeware” programs hoping to lure some unwary computer user into downloading them. Like a fisherman on the river bank, they can only cast out appetizing bait hoping to hook you.
