Issues recently have come to the attention of Information Systems regarding problems with websites working correctly (i.e. The Virtual Scheduler, WebMail, Murraystate Online Phone Directory, etc...).  The problem thus far has been identified with certain spyware programs.  Spyware programs are usually installed with other programs (BearShare, Kazaa, Morpheus, etc...), often without your knowledge but with your consent.  The license agreement that you accept on most programs usually states that is going to install the spyware software.

     Bear in mind that the majority of these spyware programs are not viruses or anything detrimental to your computer.  They simply report back to advertising servers to what you are looking at on the web.  An example of spyware is a program called CommonName.  We have, in a test environment, determined that CommonName has caused problems with the above web pages.  Uninstalling it should allow the pages to work as intended.  But unfortunately this is only one of many spyware packages out there (so far the only one we have found to cause problems).

     If you are concerned with other spy ware programs that may be on your computer then below are some helpful links that contain information about programs that look on your computer and find spyware that you may want to remove and other information about spyware.  Be warned that some programs like Kazaa will not work without the spyware installed.  These third party solutions are not university supported so you are on your own with any problems that may arise.

Spyware Watch - Great site that covers what exactly spyware is.  Look in the download section for removal programs.
Ad-Aware - spyware remover and a Tech-TV article on Ad-Aware
Spybot 1.3 - spyware remover

Created & maintained by the Department of Information Systems, Murray State University.
Last updated September 23, 2002 . ©Murray State University, 2002.
Please direct comments & questions to Casey Workman, Dept. of Information Systems.