There are many steps you can take
to prevent the installation of spyware/grayware onto your computer.
Trend Micro suggests the
following:
-
Configure all types of scans (Manual Scan,
Real-time Scan, Scheduled Scan, and Scan Now) to scan for and remove
spyware/grayware files and applications. See
Scan Types for more information.
-
Educate your client users
to do the following:
-
Read the End User License Agreement
(EULA) and included documentation of applications they download
and install on their computers.
-
Click No to any message asking for
authorization to download and install software unless client users
are certain both the creator of the software and the website they
view are trustworthy.
-
Disregard unsolicited commercial email (spam), especially
if the spam asks users to click a button or hyperlink.
-
Configure web browser settings that ensure a strict level
of security. Trend Micro recommends
requiring web browsers to prompt users before installing ActiveX
controls.
-
If using Microsoft Outlook, configure the security settings
so that Outlook does not automatically download HTML items, such
as pictures sent in spam messages.
-
Do not allow the use of peer-to-peer file-sharing services.
Spyware and other grayware applications may be masked as other types
of files your users may want to download, such as MP3 music files.
-
Periodically examine the installed software on your agent
computers and look for applications that may be spyware or other
grayware.
-
Keep your Windows operating systems updated with the latest
patches from Microsoft. See the Microsoft website for details.
