Can You Stop Pop-Ups?

Is There Anything That Can Prevent Those Pesky Pop-ups?
By Lance Peiper (lpeiper@terry.uga.edu)

There are hundreds of pop-up blocking programs available, and there is no way to completely stop them. I recommend an easy solution – the Google Toolbar. It is loaded into Internet Explorer and blocks pop-ups that are sent by certain websites. You must have Explorer version 5.5 or higher (to find out which version you have, click on "About Internet Explorer" from the “Help” button.) To download the pop-up blocker, go to http://toolbar.google.com. After installation, it starts blocking pop-ups as long as you have Internet Explorer running.

If you get pop-ups while not connected to the Internet, then you are probably infected with some sort of “adware.” Spyware and adware are basically designed to be marketing tools to generate pop-ups on your computer by tracking the websites you surf. The program installs itself on your computer when you click on target spots on a web page or try to close a pop-up without using the X button in the top right corner. Once installed, the program reports back to the initiating server and begins tracking your every move across the Internet. The server in charge of the adware program then chooses advertisements relating to sites, products, services, etc. it believes you would be interested in, based on its tracking data. Then the online spamming with pop-up ads begins. Program authors swear that adware/spyware programs pass on no personal information, but at issue is Internet privacy and the annoyance of unwanted advertising. Pop-ups will occur on the Internet anyway, but when you have multiple adware programs generating pop-ups it can become a real nuisance. And these programs can drastically slow down your Internet response time as they combine to tie up your connection speed.

So, once “infected” with this pop-up generator software, what can you do? Two of the best know programs for removing spyware are Ad-Aware and Spybot S&D. They are available for free and written by people who got tired of getting pop-up ads on their computers. These programs scan for specific files associated with adware programs and removes them. The programs are available for download through the PC-World magazine website and Tucows.

Ad-Aware 6 be found at: http://ukms.tucows.com/files2/aaw6.exe

Spybot S&D is located at:
http://ftp.pcworld.com/pub/new/privacy___security/ad_blockers/spybotsd12.exe

Once the adware/spyware programs are removed, you can safely return to regular Internet use. However, to prevent future infestation, it is VERY IMPORTANT to remember when you do get a pop-up window, ALWAYS close it by clicking the X in the top right corner. The programs “trick” you into installing spyware by clicking on “Cancel” or “No” in a pop-up window. Anything that you click inside a pop-up window can be linked to a download, spyware, or worse.

Other things to do that help prevent spyware/adware are to turn off your computer when you are not using it.  Secondly, if your kids have access to your computer, don't let them use your administrator id -- create their own (limited use) Windows account.  And finally, always be suspicious of pop-ups and never click on them (remember to use the “X” in the upper right hand corner to close them). A lot of people fall victim to something that looks harmless but can turn out to be a headache in the end. Most of these programs are benign, but they can slow down your computer, and even crash it in certain cases. Be careful and happy surfing.

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