The network poltergeist.

The IT industry isn't as boring and technically obsessed as many outsider believe. Viruses and malicious hacker threats in particular have been increasingly sensationalised in the popular press, squeezing the issues gradually into the public consciousness. Causing a big stir is the prevalence of Adware and Spyware which steal processing power and track users footprints around the Internet.

This group of 'Grayware' applications has plagued home and SMEb users, and is now becoming an extremely serious matter for enterprises too--turning more invasive and sinister by the day. Security is the one aspect of IT that regularly grips imaginations, IT used to be a black art that' people over there' dealt with. Now it's at the boardroom level and everyone and their dog has an interest in how company data is being protected.

Grayware

You could well argue that Grayware--the collective term for the family of Adware, Spyware, Diallers, Hijackers, Key-Loggers and other 'Ghost' Programs that are perpetually installing themselves onto every PC on the planet--is the new Spam. Like Spam, Grayware been around for a while and in many forms it's pretty harmless stuff that irritates more than infiltrates. Like Spam, its reached a stage where we all got it, its causing some extremely troubling effects, and it's time enterprises took it more seriously.

Many of the most threatening impacts of Grayware, such as usage pattern tracking, invasion of privacy and information theft can remain unseen and are all possible without the user having to consciously open, download or execute any applications. Just visiting a web site harbouring this technology is enough to become a victim. Unwitting use of Grayware can compromise valuable information such as credit card numbers, passwords, and even a users identity. Other than the generally familiar Adware and Spyware, here are some examples of Grayware threats in the wild:

* Key Loggers--perhaps one of die most dangerous Grayware applications, installed to capture the strokes made on a keyboard. These applications can be designed to capture user and password information, credit card numbers, email, chat, instant messages, and more.

* Dialler--used to control the PC's modem. These applications are generally used to make long distance calls or call premium numbers to create revenue for the thief.

* Hijackers--can manipulate the Web browser or other settings to change favorite or bookmarked sites, start pages, or menu options. Some hijackers have the ability to manipulate DNS settings to reroute DNS requests to a malicious DNS server.

* Network Management Tools--designed to be installed implicitly for malicious purposes. These applications are used to change Tools network settings, disrupt network security, or cause other forms of network disruption.

* Remote Administration Tools--allow an external user to remotely gain access, change, or monitor a computer on a network.

* BHOs -DLL files that are often installed as part of a software application to allow the program to control the behavior of Internet Explorer. Not all BHOs are malicious, but they can track surfing habits and gather other information stored on the host.

* Toolbar Trackers--installed to modify the computer's existing toolbar features. These programs can be used to monitor web habits, send information back to the developer, or change the functionality of the host.

* Downloaders--installed to allow other software to be downloaded and installed without the user's knowledge. These applications are usually run during the startup process and can be used to install advertising, dial software, or other malicious code. They can also disable existing desktop-based anti-virus programs, leaving the computer immediately prone to infection--duping the user into unwittingly switching it off.

The most imperative step against this family of threats is user education, starting with established policies that prohibit downloading and installing applications that are not approved by the company.

Jonathan Mepsted, Fortinel