Catholic Reformation Outline!

Bipin Pant AP Euro Thesis Statement While the ultimate objective of the Catholic Reformation was to recognize and spread Catholicism. Some aims, methods, and degree of success of the catholic reformation in the 16th century were activities of the Jesuits, the revival of papacy and the Council of Trent. Activities of the Jesuits Established highly disciplined schools The Jesuits took over in catholic universities and by 1600 they were the most famous educators in Europe Propagation of the catholic faith among non-Christians Francis Xavier spread ideas and influenced other countries like JapanThe revival of papacy Pope Paul III (1534-1549) was the turning point to the revival of papacy Appointed a reform commission to study the condition of the Jesuits and summoned the council of Trent A Colloquy was held at Regensburg to settle religious tension peacefully Cardinal Caraffa was chosen pope as Paul IV (1555-1559) Council of Trent Problems such as outbreak in plagues, war between France and Spain, and changing of popes occurred The ladder group wan and only the church could interpret Scripture Both faith and good works worked for salvation he catholic church entered a new phase of its history Conclusion In conclusion, the catholic reformation's main goal was to proceed with Catholicism and some of the aims, methods, and degree of success of the catholic reformation were the activities of the Jesuits, the revival of papacy and the creation of the council of Trent. All these events led up to the new world that we live in and some of these events enhanced our education and our knowledge for the world and its view of life. What comes next? Motives of expanding land and â€Å"The new world†.

Group Dynamics Essay

Q. 2 what are the types of groups and group dynamics? Answer2: A social process by which people interacts with each other in small group is known as group dynamics. The word dynamic is Greek word which means study of forces operating within a group for the social interaction. Interaction in small group is not always governed by rules and regulations and conventions. In these small groups social relations between persons may play an important role in communication. The Word Dynamics means force. The term group dynamics refers to the forces operating wide in groups for social interest. The investigation of group dynamics consists of a study of these forces and the conditions modifying them. The practical application of group dynamics consists of the utilisation of knowledge about these forces for the achievement of some purpose. Group dynamics is the combination of the certain techniques to be used within groups. GROUP TYPES One common way to classify group is by whether they are formal or informal in nature. Formal work groups are established by an organization to achieve organizational goals. Formal groups may take the form of command groups, task groups, and functional groups. Formal & Informal groups: Formal groups are created and maintained to fulfil specific needs related to the overall organizational mission: a. Designed by Top management for achieving organizational goals b. Concentrates more on the performance of job c. People are placed in hierarchy and their status determined accordingly d. Co-ordination of members are controlled through process, procedures etc Informal Groups are created in the organization because of social and psychological forces operating at the workplace. a. A natural outcome at the work place & not designed and planned b. Organization is coordinated by group norms and not by norms of the formal organization c. Such group associations are not specified in the blue-print of the formal organization COMMAND GROUPS. Command groups are specified by the organizational chart and often consist of a supervisor and the subordinates that report to that supervisor. An example of a command group is an academic department chairman and the faculty members in that department. TASK GROUPS. Task groups consist of people who work together to achieve a common task. Members are brought together to accomplish a narrow range of goals within a specified time period. Task groups are also commonly referred to as task forces. The organization appoints members and assigns the goals and tasks to be accomplished. Examples of assigned tasks are the development of a new product, the improvement of a production process, or the proposal of a motivational contest. Other common task groups are ad hoc committees, project groups, and standing committees. Ad hoc committees are temporary groups created to resolve a specific complaint or develop a process. Project groups are similar to ad hoc committees and normally disband after the group completes the assigned task. Standing committees are more permanent than ad hoc committees and project groups. They maintain longer life spans by rotating members into the group. FUNCTIONAL GROUPS. A functional group is created by the organization to accomplish specific goals within an unspecified time frame. Functional groups remain in existence after achievement of current goals and objectives. Examples of functional groups would be a marketing department, a customer service department, or an accounting department. In contrast to formal groups, informal groups are formed naturally and in response to the common interests and shared values of individuals. They are created for purposes other than the accomplishment of organizational goals and do not have a specified time frame. Informal groups are not appointed by the organization and members can invite others to join from time to time. Informal groups can have a strong influence in organizations that can either be positive or negative. For example, employees who form an informal group can either discuss how to improve a production process or how to create shortcuts that jeopardize quality. Informal groups can take the form of interest groups, friendship groups, or reference groups. FRIENDSHIP GROUPS. Friendship groups are formed by members who enjoy similar social activities, political beliefs, religious values, or other common bonds. Members enjoy each other’s company and often meet after work to participate in these activities. For example, a group of employees who form a friendship group may have an exercise group, a softball team, or a potluck lunch once a month. REFERENCE GROUPS. A reference group is a type of group that people use to evaluate themselves. According to Cherrington, the main purposes of reference groups are social validation and social comparison. Social validation allows individuals to justify their attitudes and values while social comparison helps individuals evaluate their own actions by comparing themselves to others. Reference groups have a strong influence on members’ behavior. By comparing themselves with other members, individuals are able to assess whether their behaviour is acceptable and whether their attitudes and values are right or wrong. Reference groups are different from the previously discussed groups because they may not actually meet or form voluntarily. For example, the reference group for a new employee of an organization may be a group of employees that work in a different department or even a different organization. Family, friends, and religious affiliations are strong reference groups for most individuals. Factors influencing Team and Group  Dynamics Following are some of the factors which influence Team and Group Dynamics. The factors are as follows:   1. The Context of the Team The country and geographic region form a larger culture in which the organization operates. All of these contribute to the economic, political, technical, and cultural climates in which the organization, the team, and the individuals operate. 2. The Organization The kind of organization, such as business, or non-profit, along with the organizational culture will influence the team functioning just as much as the division of the organization such as sales, research, operations, etc. 3. The Team Identity Teams have an identity of their own. This identity stems from the interrelationship of the larger culture, the organizational culture, the team configuration, the nature of the work (purpose), and the qualities of the individuals. It is not the sum of the types, or preferences, or temperaments of the team members. There are many kinds of teams including ad hoc, project, executive, management, committees, and so on. Each team has a charter to fulfil a certain role in the organization. Team dynamics is heavily influenced by the nature and purpose of the work to be done by the team. 4. The Individuals Within this mix of influences are the individual team members who likely have specific kinds of work to perform and specific roles on the team. Individual members influence the team dynamics as well, so much so that when the composition of the team changes, the team dynamics will change.

Reflective Account of Nursing Placement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Reflective Account of Nursing Placement - Essay Example f nursing practice was to turn these perceptions and expectations head over heels and make me realize that the nursing profession was not just the acquiring of skills and knowledge, but involved a deeper understanding of the individual seeking care in the face of illness. I intend using the Gibbs Reflective Cycle to provide an understanding of this incident. The reason for this choice is that the Gibbs Reflective Cycle is a suitable model for reflecting on incidents that occur to an individual and the possible impact this experience has on future action of the individual (Reflective Practice). I was posted in a ward that cared for both male and female adult patients in keeping with my choice of posting. After nearly a month of my posting a Moslem woman was admitted into my ward. She was forty-eight years old. She was suffering from diabetes mellitus and had not maintained her diet, exercise and insulin regime. As a result she had developed an ulcer at her right calf. Her treatment included injections of insulin, a strict diet and medicated dressings and positioning of the infected foot. Once she was settled in her bed I attempted to communicate with her. I found her totally unresponsive. I was irked, more so irritated with this uncooperative patient. I decided I would do the needful and if she cooperated well and good for her. I had to record her blood pressure immediately. I tried to tell her that I needed to take her blood pressure. She hardly paid heed to her. I decided that there was no point in talking to her and got down to the business end taking her blood pressure. The moment I touched her, she became violently remonstrative. Fed up with the situation I went to the nursing supervisor to complain about the uncooperative patient. The nursing supervisor decided to come and see for herself. I found my patient willing to meet the eyes of my supervisor, but not responding to anything she said. A little later the supervisor turned round and told me that the

The Safety Of Airport Security Scanners Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Safety Of Airport Security Scanners - Essay Example According to the article, there are currently two types of scanners used in airports to screen various travelers. The first type is the scanner that â€Å"employs millimeter wave technology, which delivers no ionizing radiation†Ã‚   The other type is the scanner that â€Å"uses backscatter X-rays that expose the individual being screened to very low levels of ionizing radiation† (Radiological Society of North America par. 1). To determine the effect of low levels of ionizing radiation, one decided to confirm other studies on the subject and the article published in the ScienceDaily on low levels of ionizing radiation indicate that a report from the National Academies' National Research Council have indicated that â€Å"the committee's thorough review of available biological and biophysical data supports a "linear, no-threshold" (LNT) risk model, which says that the smallest dose of low-level ionizing radiation has the potential to cause an increase in health risks to h umans†. This article confirmed the risks involved in low levels of ionizing radiation, however, since it was published in 2005, the reliability and applicability could be diminished.According to the article, there are currently two types of scanners used in airports to screen various travelers. The first type is the scanner that â€Å"employs millimeter wave technology, which delivers no ionizing radiation†Ã‚   The other type is the scanner that â€Å"uses backscatter X-rays that expose the individual being screened to very low levels of ionizing radiation† (Radiological Society of North America par. 1). To determine the effect of low levels of ionizing radiation, one decided to confirm other studies on the subject and the article published in the ScienceDaily on low levels of ionizing radiation indicate that a report from the National Academies' National Research Council have indicated that â€Å"the committee's thorough review of available biological and bioph ysical data supports a "linear, no-threshold" (LNT) risk model, which says that the smallest dose of low-level ionizing radiation has the potential to cause an increase in health risks to humans†. This article confirmed the risks involved in low levels of ionizing radiation, however, since it was published in 2005, the reliability and applicability could be diminished. The article being reviewed was actually effective in providing a balanced discourse by first presenting the arguments of Brenner, to wit: â€Å"given that up to one billion such scans per year are now possible in the U.S, we should have concerns about the long-term consequences of an extremely large number of people being exposed to a potential radiation-induced cancer risk, no matter how slight†.

Emergency Service Managment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Emergency Service Managment - Research Paper Example The first recognized fire protection in America had started in the year 1648 in New York City. At that time, the fire divisions were voluntary organizations. The substantial losses due to massive fire-related incidents stimulated changes in fire emergency services in the United States. The hazards of fire created the demand for stringent fire safety systems and mechanisms and professional fire service providing organizations. The responsibility of fire protection in the United States has remained local because of its centralized form of government. The national government controls the fire emergency services in almost 25 states. Nowadays, the United States has approximately 30542 fire divisions. There are differences that exist such as organizational or technical which at times prevent many departments from assisting each other through major fire emergency situations (Smeby 1-3). Insurance Service Office (ISO) Majority of the consistent practices in the fire divisions of the United S tates which exist in present days is a direct consequence of Insurance Service Office. The insurance industry requires methods for encouraging the fire divisions to be well-equipped for major fire-related losses and to enhance the capability to provide emergency services independently (Smeby 1-3). ISO is a profit generating organization which gives a rating to all â€Å"Fire Departments† in the United States. It performs rating reviews in the field of public fire safety. ISO helps insurance organizations, fire divisions and insurance officials by delivering significant information about fire related risks. ISO has been in action since 1971 and it uses a scheme named FSRS in order to evaluate the degree of efficiency of fire services. FSRS evaluates potential dissimilarities between cities regarding the abilities to

When the Palestinian Leadership Wants a Palestinian State more than it Essay

When the Palestinian Leadership Wants a Palestinian State more than it Wants to See the Destruction of Israel - Essay Example As the discussion stresses in a joint Israeli and Palestinian poll conducted in the last quarter of 2008, about 58% of the Palestinians preferred the two-state solution. It is a significant percentage, although smaller than the favorability in the Israelis’ perspective. The Palestinian leadership, however, is an entirely different case altogether. For instance, conflict could have been easily avoided and peace attained during the meeting brokered by US President Bill Clinton at Camp David but that the proposal was truned down by the Palestinian leadership because it would have meant leaving the Jewish state intact. Currently, the Palestinian leadership, the Hamas, is taking an even more hardline approach in its conflict with Israel. According to Mohammed Ayoob , while Hamas has moved increasingly toward accepting a two-state solution, its leadersdhip is not willing to accept Israel’s legitimacy as a state unless and until it is cewrtain of what Israel has to offer in re turn. The problem here is that Israel has made it clear time and time again that it is willing to divide lands with the Palestinians. The Palestinian leadership, on the other hand, is unwilling to fritter away its most valuable card without attaining full Israeli recognition of a Palestinian state within the borders of 1967.   This paper highlights that in a joint Israeli and Palestinian poll conducted in the last quarter of 2008, about 58% of the Palestinians preferred the two-state solution. It is a significant percentage, although smaller than the favorability in the Israelis’ perspective. The Palestinian leadership, however, is an entirely different case altogether. For instance, conflict could have been easily avoided and peace attained during the meeting brokered by US President Bill Clinton at Camp David but that the proposal was truned down by the Palestinian leadership because it would have meant leaving the Jewish state intact. Currently, the Palestinian leadership, the Hamas, is taking an even more hardline approach in its conflict with Israel. According to Mohammed Ayoob, while Hamas has moved increasingly toward accepting a two-state solution, its leadersdhip is not willing to accept Israel’s legitimacy as a state unless and until it is cewrtain of what Israel has to offer in re turn.

The Red Cedar Redevelopment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Red Cedar Redevelopment - Assignment Example Arguments in support of the plain arguments in support of the plan1. Reverse water and environmental pollution while conserving wildlife. This leads to the introduction of local tourism such as bird watching2. Boost the community’s economy by constructing a business park and tightening security.3. Ensure community welfare by building modern residential houses, increasing security, and availing social amenities.  4. Tightening security through the construction of a police complex to increase safety and raise investor’s confidence in investing in the community and thereby boost the economic argument against the plan1. The project is too costly and the community may not manage to raise the needed funds within the required time.2. The project may not benefit all members of the community especially the old who object to the construction of new residential areas because they wish to age in a familiar environment.3. Construction of a business complex doesn’t make much economic sense since the town is less densely populated.4. Constructing a police complex is not sufficient security and more investment is needed, yet funds are insufficient.

Describe the most important events during the period, 1940 to present Essay

Describe the most important events during the period, 1940 to present - Essay Example World War II, which took place from 1939-1945, was the most widespread war in history.It involved the world’s most important nations, who had eventually divided into two alliances: the Allies and the Axis. The Allies consisted of countries such as United States, Great Britain and the Soviet Union, while the Axis mainly included Germany, Italy and Japan. It started off by Germany invading Poland, which lead to declaration of war on Germany by France, and Great Britain. Germany responded by invading Norway and Denmark, and then advanced towards France. One of the crucial points in the war was when Germany launched a series if airstrikes against Britain, which came to be known as the Battle of Britain. However, Germany was unable to achieve its objective of gaining control over Britain and was forced to retreat. The acts which took this war to the next level were those of Japan attacking Pearl Harbor, and Germany invading the Soviet Union. Germany had launched a full assault agai nst the Soviet Union, and had managed to capture almost the half of the country. While Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, brought United States into the war, which previously had been following a policy of isolation. The entrance of the United States completely titled the war into the Allies favor. The Germans were defeated in the Soviet Union, and a nuclear attack on Japan on 6th August 1945, brought the war to an end and resulted in the victory of the allies (BBC History). World War II holds immense historical importance. Firstly, it showed that the League of Nations, which was international body required to maintain peace, had failed. This lead to the development of the United Nations, which is an international organization aiming to maintain world peace. Since then United Nations has played its part trying to stop further wars from taking place, and promoting negotiation between opposing countries. Furthermore, the Second World War stopped the spreading of dictatorships in m any areas. Hitler, leader of Germany, was adamant to spread his ideology worldwide and to destroy all democratic institutions. Thus, the war stopped him and his allies from becoming victorious. Moreover, this war showed the whole world, the massive damage that can be done with a nuclear attack, and such attacks should be prevented in future, at all costs. Cold War was another critical event, which took place between the two great powers: United States and the Soviet Union. There was not any direct conflict between the two powers, and was more as a war of ideologies. Several clashes took place between the capitalist and communist forces in different areas of the world, which were backed by United States and the Soviet Union respectively. The origins of the Cold War can be traced back to the Second World War, when United States dropped the atomic bomb on Japan, sending an indirect signal to the Soviet Union, showing their strength and potential. The Soviet Union wanted to expand its e mpire and the communist ideology, while U.S.A felt threatened by these expansionary aims of Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union. The Cold War was a period of tension between the two super powers, and it reached its peak during the events of the Berlin Blockade, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Both the powers almost reached the verge of nuclear war and then pulled back. It ended with the

Media Censorship in Australia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Media Censorship in Australia - Essay Example According to Internet World Statistics (2007), the Internet is today found to be used widely in Asia by 460 million users, in Europe by 338 million users and in North America by 235 million users. About 90% of Internet users are young people in many nations, including Asia, North America, Europe and Australia and New Zealand. Today, school kids around the world are the busiest users of the Internet. (Anheier 2008:633). is now widely used by the government and business for their Internet on-line e-commerce and e-government transactions , there has been significant developments in Internet law-making and policy , there has been basic transformations to Internet governance , the consolidation of the internet for the popular culture and entertainment , the embedding of Internet with the contemporary identity , the changes in the media like on-line news , Internet’s impact in relationships , love , communication and desire. (Goggin 2002: 2). The 15th century media was the printing press, the 19th century had brought broadsheets, and 20th century brought radio, TV and the Internet. A new media may come into existence in the 21st century with all its permutations and parameters. Today, from neighbourhood to large companies are enjoying the ease and the speed of the Internet to create support for their objectives. Due to the Internet age, now companies are able to evaluate their public relations strategies in real dollar terms like revenue and sales. Today’s media is comprised of lap tops. ... siness for their Internet on-line e-commerce and e-government transactions , there has been significant developments in Internet law-making and policy , there has been basic transformations to Internet governance , the consolidation of the internet for the popular culture and entertainment , the embedding of Internet with the contemporary identity , the changes in the media like on-line news , Internet’s impact in relationships , love , communication and desire. (Goggin 2002: 2). Why Internet is a new media environment? The 15th century media was the printing press, the 19th century had brought broadsheets, and 20th century brought radio, TV and the Internet. A new media may come into existence in the 21st century with all its permutations and parameters. Today, from neighbourhood to large companies are enjoying the ease and the speed of the Internet to create support for their objectives. Due to the Internet age, now companies are able to evaluate their public relations strat egies in real dollar terms like revenue and sales. Today’s media is comprised of lap tops, cell phones with Internet accessing facilities, televisions, and digital camera. (Duhe 2007:2). The notion of mediated communication evaluates the public relation demeanours that happen through some varieties of mass media technologies like the Internet or televisions. J.E Grunig (2001) placed interpersonal and mediated communications are the two ends of the analogues’ aspect. Sha (1996) was of the view that dividing the mediated with that of interpersonal dimension was more proper. (Duhe 2007:9). Internet is regarded in the creation of contemporary Australian identities, and the dawning acknowledgement that Australia is one of the many nation benefited from the Internet as what Marcia Langton is of

Zara business model in comparison with others in apparel industry Assignment

Zara business model in comparison with others in apparel industry - Assignment Example A lot of companies in the industry face the challenge of being able to predict and even respond to the fast changing trends in a manner that is swift that will be able to meet the consumer demands. In this paper I will focus on Zara business model that continually changes with the changing customer demands. I will compare the model with other business models in the industry by using Gap.inc Company as the proxy company that will be responsible in representing all other firms in the industry. It will be used in making comparisons with the Zara business model. Gap inc. specializes in clothing, personal care products and accessories. This company was the former industry leader before Zara came to the limelight. Zara’s model Zara runs a fast fashion model that has come to be known as the business model innovation. Zara’s model has three basic components which include concept, capabilities and value drivers. It has the concept of maintaining design. This is achieved through its production and processes in distribution that will enable it to respond fast to shifts in demands f consumers. It emphasizes on giving consumers what they want by putting their focus on demand and not on the supply. It maintains control over its production through in-house manufacturing and also with strategy partnerships located near its headquarters. 80% of its materials are made in Europe and 50% made in the Zara controlled facilities in Spain. Herman (2008) indicates that Zara has a unique approach to marketing and advertising. This is because it spends 0.3% of its revenues on advertising and marketing. It uses the location, layout of the store and life cycles of their products as marketing tool i.e. it locates all stores in the prime retail district in order to do visibility marketing. It also does its marketing by doing a lot of investment in the layout of its stores by making them look trendy. This model encourages the customers get to the store very often and also encour ages them to buy on the spot because of the fear that if they don’t buy at that time, the product will sell out. Zara has a core philosophy that quality and creativity with fast response to market demands yields results that are profitable. In terms of the use of information and technology, Zara has a different approach as compared to other companies in the industry that are represented by Gap inc. Communication protocols are different from others because it spends 0.5%of the total revenue on information technology and 0.5% on the employees of technology. It uses human intelligence and information technology to create hybrid in information flow from the stores to the headquarters. Using of the human intelligence on information technology made it successful since it resulted to inventories that are well managed, reduced cost from merchandise that was obsolete and also a link between the demand and supply. This strategy is advantageous in terms of cost to the operations of Zara and responds fast to the changing demands. According to Badil, (2009), Zara is able to change its designs in a fast way and quickly due to the proximity it has to the stores. It has departmental stores that modify designs of other people and send them to Asian factories that are low cost. This model supports the notion of stocking little while ensuring that it updates the collections more often. Zara does restocking of new designs twice a week as compared to other competitors in the market. Consumers in the market have characteristics of quickly losing interest in a fashion that stays for a while in the market and that is why Zara is involved in observing the trends and often changing fashion.

Internet banking Essay Example for Free

Internet banking Essay Internet is rapidly turning out to be a tool of world wide communication. The increasing use of Internet earlier promoted producers and entrepreneurs to sell their products online. It has also become an important source of information and knowledge. Due to this, many banking and finance organizations have come up with the idea of Internet banking or online banking. What is Internet Banking Internet banking can be defined as a facility provided by banking and financial institutions, that enable the user to execute bank related transactions through Internet. The biggest advantage of Internet banking is that people can expend the services sitting at home, to transact business. Due to which, the account holder does not have to personally visit the bank. With the help of Internet banking many transactions can be executed by the account holder. When small transactions like balance inquiry, record of recent transaction, etc. are to be processed, the Internet banking facility proves to be very handy. The concept of Internet banking has thus become a revolution in the field of banking and finance. Brief History of Internet Banking The concept of Internet banking has been simultaneously evolving with the development of the world wide web. Programmers working on banking data bases came up with ideas for online banking transactions, some time during the 1980s. The creative process of development of these services were probably sparked off after many companies started the concept of online shopping. The online shopping promoted the use of credit cards through Internet. Many banking organizations had already started creating data ware housing facilities to ease their working staffs. The development of these databases were widely used during the development of ATMs. Sometime in 1980s, banking and finance organizations in Europe and United States started suggestive researches and programming experiments on the concept of home banking. Initially in the 80s when computers and Internet were not so well-developed, home banking basically made use of fax machines and telephones to facilitate their customers. The widespread of Internet and programming facilities created further opportunities for development of home banking. In 1983, the Nottingham Building Society, commonly abbreviated and referred to as the NBS, launched the first Internet banking service in United Kingdom. This service formed the basis for most of the Internet banking facilities that followed. This facility was not very well-developed and restricted the number of transactions and functions that account holders could execute. The facility introduced by Nottingham Building Society is said to have been derived from a system known as Prestel, that is deployed by the postal service department of United Kingdom. The first online banking service in United States was introduced, in October 1994. The service was developed by Stanford Federal Credit Union, which is a financial institution. The online banking services are becoming more and more prevalent due to the well-developed systems. Though there are pros and cons of electronic cash, it has become a revolution that is enhancing the banking sector. Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/history-of-internet-banking.html

The Film Jurassic Park | Analysis

The Film Jurassic Park | Analysis Oscar nomination To: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The film Jurassic Park has a very captivating plot with a very controversial and strong theme of science versus ethics and is a very strong candidate for an Academy Award and could be nominated for the best film of the year. Jurassic Park is a very deep film, which touches on the morality of scientific discoveries and experiments. It has a really strong theme and message. Jurassic Park is a fantastic film, not just for its thrills and visual effects, but for a plot that is meaningful and entertaining. The main theme, Science versus ethics, is very polemic and not very discussed and touched by the media, making the film even more interesting and captivating. The film does not only entertain the audience but it also makes the viewers think and analyse the ethics behind such a science experiment and discovery. Furthermore the film does not only discuss its theme and makes you think, it also sends a message across successfully: the consequences of the desire of exerting control over nature. As a thriller Steven Spielberg successfully creates suspense making the viewer entertained and thrilled. To create the excruciating suspense required for the plot, Steven Spielberg has used more than just the plot itself but also used effects such as sound, different type of shots and angles, colours and light, which all contributed to build up the tension of the movie. Steven Spielberg has shown in earlier movies directed by him, such as Jaws that he is more than capable of creating suspense and tension in his movies, and with Jurassic Park he proved once again that when it comes to effects he is one step ahead of everyone. The dinosaur, just like the setting, is very realistic, full of details and information, making the movie real and interesting. Even more than a decade later the visual effects remain solidly effective. The sounds used in the film helped to create a suspenseful and adventurous mood across the entire film, making it exiting and not even for a second tedious. The use of light and colours in the movie helps to develop the suspense and mystery already created. In many scenes the light is placed behind the animal or person, creating a silhouette and that creates a mysterious mood, because you can see the person or animal but not clearly. The colours help to create a more realistic scenario, earthy colours such as browns and greens are used often during the film. They also help to expand the mystery of the film as the colours do not give away much information and create an unknown mood of suspense. More over when the director wants the viewer to focus on a specific thing or wants to direct your attention to something he uses bright colours. For example the cars become a focal point and stand out from the setting because of the use of bright colours. The colour of the cars contrasts with the field, making the cars more noticeable. Green is the main colour as it is related to nature. Very often the director uses red details in the scenes, symbo lizing danger, small things such as a scarf that the female main character wears in the beginning of the film or details in the car, creating a mood of danger to the viewers. Moreover, Steven Spielberg also uses different types of shots and camera angles to create the suspense in the film. The shot types and angles, differ from the effects, colours, lights and sounds isnt something that the viewers would pick up on from the first time they watch the movie. Only when one stops to analyse it, does the subconscious pick things up, and without us even noticing it the angles of the camera builds and direct the viewers mood. Steven Spielberg incorporates all types of shots and very successfully creates extremely suspenseful mood in the film. An example of a long shot is when they show the dinosaurs for the first time. The camera shows the setting from far, positioning the characters close to the dinosaur, accentuating and visually stating the size difference between them. The-close up shots and extreme close up shots are used to show details, such as details in the dinosaurs, like its eyes, legs (showing its movement and creating tension), its mouth (creating a fearful mood). The close up shots are also used to create dynamics, for example when the camera zooms in to the big foot print of the Tyrannosaur on the ground full of water and in the water the reflection of the head of one of the characters, again comparing the size of a human to the size of the dinosaur. The use of angles is added to the shots to help to create mood. In Jurassic Park for example, the low angle is often used when shooting a dinosaur. This angle helps to make the dinosaur appear bigger and consequently creating a fearful and scary mood. The eye level from the kids point of view is also used many times throughout the film, making the viewer feel smaller and vulnerable compared with the situation and the dinosaurs, creating a mood of fear and generating suspense. The over the shoulder shots are used to give the viewer the sensation of been present there and been part of the film, making the film even more captivating and entertaining. Steven Spielberg, just like in his previous movies, allows the unknown to build tension and mystery. The movie starts off with an attack, but the trick is, the viewer does not see what has made the, they just know its happening. That builds up tension and curiosity for the viewers. Later on in the film, just before the exposure of the dinosaurs, the main characters are in a car, the woman is wearing a red scarf, symbolizing danger. The guy has seen something and is looking very surprised- the woman hasnt seen it yet and neither have the viewers. The man gently turns the womans head so she can see what he is seeing. The camera focus on the surprised faces but does not reveal what they have seen to the viewer, this builds up tremendous curiosity for the viewers. Then finally, after building up mystery and curiosity, the camera reveal to the viewers what was the cause of the surprise. Another strong element of the film is its characters and the actors who portray them. The characters might not be profoundly deep but their personalities are fully realized thanks not only to the writing, but to the actors who portray them. Joining Goldblum are Sam ONeill as Dr. Alan Grant, Laura Dern as Dr. Ellie Sattler, and Richard Attenborough as park creator John Hammond. Even minor characters are populated with strong actors, including Samuel L. Jackson as a computer guru and Wayne Knight as the villain Newman. No film review or nomination could describe the creativity and effort put in Jurassic Park. The suspense and excitement of the film can only be seen by watching the film. Steven Spielberg successfully put all the elements that makes a good movie together effectively, and the result is a master piece. Steven Spielberg besides making the viewer question the films message of ethics and science also makes the viewer question: how did he do it ? He brought the dream to life and made the film unbelievably real and taking ordinary humans closer to an imaginary world were dinosaurs exist. Even though Jurassic Park isnt a kids movie, it evokes a childlike sense of wonder. However, besides the magical part of the movie linking the viewer with their childhood, Jurassic Park is a serious movie, with a strong message. So for me Jurassic park deserves to be the Movie of the year. Nanook of the north: An overview Nanook of the north: An overview The film â€Å"Nanook of the North† is described as one of the first ever documentaries ever made. The filming of this controversial early documentary took place from August 1920 until August 1921. I find this film highly informative, even though Robert J. Flaherty, the producer and director of this film, altered and staged some things that were quite different in reality, a subject that has brought this film some criticism. For example, Nanooks name was really Allakariallak and his â€Å"family† wasnt really his family. So in a way, they were all actors and actresses in their own right, performing their â€Å"lives during the hunt† in front of the camera. Other things that Flaherty decided to change is that he wanted to document this Inuit â€Å"family† as they were back in the older days. While Allakariallak really hunted with a gun, Flaherty persuaded him to hunt in the same methods used by his ancestors so the viewers of this documentary would witness the lives of the Inuit in the Artic before they were influenced by the Europeans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But it was making those criticized changes that made this film so much more informational in a certain sense. Europeans were already pretty familiar with how their society lived, because, well, they were living it. But by making the Inuit individuals in this film portray how they used to live makes the viewers experience a culture as it once was. This film includes demonstrating a variety of the Inuit ways, such as accurately displaying the ancestral customs of how they hunt, fish, and build igloos, while showing how an Inuit family survived their constant battles with nature without the aid of European instruments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This film, although entertaining and informational as most modern documentaries, makes me ponder and not completely sure of my decision on whether I should consider this film as an official first documentary or not. I believe official documentaries are supposed to portray something in a certain time period given that time, along with explanations of whats happening or has happened and what not. In other words, I think it would have been more completely accurate if Robert J. Flaherty showed how Allakariallak lived for real, giving viewers the idea of an Inuit familys life after European influence, instead of how his recent ancestors lived. The reason why I think this would be that even though the limited technology that was available to him back then would not allow him to film things in a completely detailed and definite way (for example, the igloo had to be constructed in a special way so Flahertys camera could capture everything inside correctly), â€Å"Nanook of the North† was altered in far too many aspects to completely accurately show how the Inuit lived in the early twentieth century, if that was Flahertys goal. It was made in a way as to make it seems that Nanook (Allakariallak)s daily life was so much more harsh than it is in real life. In one of the scenes in the film, he is seen laughing at a phonograph and biting into a record as if the objects were strange and foreign to him, and that he had never seen them before. However, it became known later that not only had Allakariallak seen phonographs before, but he was a frequent visitor to a trading post, and owned a snowmobile. This information about his life raises much controversy over whether this be regarded as a true official documentary or not.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But on the other hand, as I explained above, this film being altered made it more of a documentary of how the Inuits ancestors used to live and survive in the Artic. It showed how they made their living off the land, hunting seals and walruses with a spear, rope, and other handmade hunting weapons. How they intelligently constructed igloos to sleep in during their hunts, and how amazing it was that so many people could fit into a seemingly tiny kayak. How during their struggles with the long hunt, their stomachs could no longer bear the waiting of nourishment, so they had to eat their fill raw. These, among many other things, did correctly show the more ancient ways of the Inuit, which is likely how the film obtained its success. It showed a different way to address their life, while not as much as a gentle walk in the park as a traditional typical European life, did not fail to show even without words that it was teamwork and the bond of the family that kept ever ything swinging in the right way, even in times where things would get more difficult than they would like.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As for my final opinion on whether â€Å"Nanook of the North† rightly fully earns the title as one of the first developed documentaries, I am still debating this. In a certain sense, as I explained above, it was both accurate about the life of the Inuit and inaccurate about their life at the same time. So I suppose this inspirational story in my opinion as of now, it seemed as if â€Å"Nanook of the North† was more of how a documentary should supposedly be, recording real life, but in a fictitious setting, or in a setting that wasnt true or present at that time. So Im not going to call this an official documentary, but neither am I going to say that its not either. Im going to refer to it as a â€Å"serious Mockumentary†.

Impact of Spyware on Computers and Mobile Devices

Impact of Spyware on Computers and Mobile Devices 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 PROJECT OUTLINE The title of the project chosen by the author is â€Å"Study on the impact of spyware on computers and mobile devices† which simply means that the author analyzes the impact of spyware through an empirical study. The study focuses on the factors that influence the spyware growth which in turn increases its level of impact on computers and mobile devices. Computers and mobile devices are widely used; they are used to access the internet, while everyone wants to acquire the internet in todays world. While technology advances, so are the criminal activities on the technology. When talking about computer crime, the first thing that comes to mind is spyware. Spyware is so big of a crime that millions of dollars are lost annually due to it. Hackers use spyware to still private information from the users like credit card information and so on. Although spyware has been here for a long time, it is computer crime with no legal consequence. Users have little or no knowledge about what spyware is and it can do to them and their machines (computers and mobile devises). Even though virus has been around longer than spyware, but spyware is beginning to make its mark with computer security breaches. Spyware can collect personal data from a users computer. If not taken care of spyware can cause delayed processing of many of your applications. Below are the brief descriptions of each chapter: Chapter one: Introduction This chapter provides a brief overview of the project. It provides the reader with the background information about spyware and the problem statement. The research questions, limitations and methodology are also discussed in this chapter. Chapter two: Literature Review This chapter mainly deals with the pertinent literature of the impact of spyware and discussion on the various types of spyware effect and the comparison between the mobile spyware and the computer spyware. Lastly, the chapter will also discuss about the factors enhancing spyware growth. Chapter three: Research Framework and Hypotheses Development This chapter discus the author is going to propose the research framework/model and hypotheses to explore the users perception about privacy, self efficiency, security, legal framework, spyware knowledge and self-efficiency, trust and cost. Chapter four: Research Methodology This chapter will describe the research design that is used during the research. The chapter will discuss the overall research process. The chapter will also include information on data collection, sampling plan and questionnaire development. Chapter five: Data Analysis and Findings This chapter will outline the data collected through questionnaire and interviews by making use of the appropriate software and analysis of the study. The chapter will also provide discussion of the research findings. Chapter six: Conclusion and Recommendation This chapter will discuss about the result of the previous chapter the contribution of the study to the body knowledge. Conclusion along with future enhancement will also be discussed in the chapter. This chapter concludes the research. 1.2 INTRODUCTION This chapter is meant to give the user/reader helpful idea and an insight to the whole research. Most readers will like to get a grasp of the main ideas of a research paper before actually proceeding to read the whole research. This chapter clearly states the primary objective of the research and the main problem which is been researched. The backgrounds and nature of the study are also highlight the purpose of the research. Several books and journals have been read by the author to have foundation knowledge on the concept of spyware. Spyware is a significant problem to most computer users today. The term â€Å"spyware† describes a new class of computer software. This software tracks users activities online or offline, provides targeted advertising, and engage in other types of activities that the user does not desire or the user may describe as invasive to them. Analysis suggests that these types of programs may reside on up to 90 percent (%) of all the computers connected to the internet. (EarthLink 2005) Frequently, programs bundle spyware with freeware or shareware, though it can also arrive via email, instant messages or web downloads. While the magnitude of the spyware problem is well documented, even do recent studies have had only limited success in explaining the broad range of user behaviors that contribute to the proliferation of spyware. Unlike viruses and other malicious code, users themselves often have a choice whether they want to install these programs. Anecdotal evidence suggests, and our study confirms, that some users are willing to install spyware when the desired application is of perceived high utility and a comparable product without spyware is not available or known to the user (Michelle Delio 2004). Our goals in this study are to understand the factors and users decision making process in installing spyware. During installation, users are presented with notices such as software agreements, terms of service (TOS), end user licensing agreements (EULA), and security warnings. Based on information in these notices, users should, in theory, be able to make a decision about whether to install the software and evaluate the potential consequences of that decision. However, there is a general perception that these notices are ineffective and users often dont even read the software agreement, terms of service, end user licensing or security warnings. One software provider included a $1000 cash prize offer in the EULA that was displayed during each software installation, yet the prize was only claimed after 4 months and 3,000 downloads of the software (PC PitStop 2005). 1.3 BACKGROUND STUDY Spyware has existed at least since the late 1980s when some Keyloggers where discovered in some university computers. â€Å"The word spyware was first used in publicly in October 1995. It popped up on Usenet (a distributed Internet discussion system in which users post e-mail like messages) in an article aimed at Microsofts business model.† (Shanmuga 2005) Over the years, there has been a steady growth in the use of spyware by online attackers and criminals to execute crime against individual, companies and organisations. In the span of just few years, spyware has become the internets most popular download. During the years, the anti-spyware was developed to tackle this problem. The anti-spyware was meant to find, detect and remove the spyware. But even with the development of anti-spyware, spyware still continues to grow every day. One of the factors that aid this growth is the lack of standard definition of spyware. Jerry Berman, President of the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), explained in testimony to the Subcommittee on Communications of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee in March 2004 that â€Å"The term has been applied to software ranging from keystroke loggers that capture every key typed on a particular computer; to advertising applications that track users web browsing; to programs that hijack users system settings.† (CDT 2004) He noted that what these various types of software programs â€Å"have in common is a lack of transparency and an absence of respect for users ability to control their own computers and Internet connections.† (CDT 2004) Different anti-spyware companies and organizations use different definition which makes even difficult for the users of computers and mobile dont even know what spyware is, as such how can they know the threat of it and the harm it those to their devices 1.4 PROBLEM STATEMENT The problem statement of this research study â€Å"is the hypothesized factors influence and positive affect the users attitude towards spyware?† Even do spyware has been here for over two decades, it still does not have a standard definition. This makes it harder for users to understand what spyware is and how it affects their system, and how deep is the level of impact. (Norbert 2007) Past studies have been done to study the development of spyware and its growth, how it affects the businesses, privacy and other personal informations of the users, and disrupts the performance of the users machine, and the factors that influence the growth. While the magnitude of the spyware problem is well documented, even do these studies have had only limited success in explaining the broad range of user behaviors that contribute to the proliferation of spyware. Unlike virus and other malicious codes, users often have the choice to whether they want to install this spyware or not. While other users install it with other programs without knowing. This situation often arises as a result of users not reading the software agreement, term of service or the end user licensing agreements. Nonetheless, only very few studies focus specifically on the level of spyware impact on computers and mobile devices, and most of them were carried out in the United States of America USA. Addressing this problem is a very big issue, because users dont want to spend two to five minutes of their time to read the terms of service. The software producers often put in a lot of information in the terms of service there by making the user not read because it is too lengthy. 1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS With reference to the Problem statement, the author suggested the following questions: What are the factors influencing spyware growth among users? What are the theoretical models used and extended in previous studies of spyware? What are the significant factors influencing the research? What are the users reactions towards spyware? How will the research result affect impact of spyware on computers and mobile devices? 1.6 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES With reference to the research questions, the author developed the following research objectives for the study: To identify the factors influencing spyware growth among users. To study and discuss the theoretical models used and extended in previous studies of spyware. To examine the hypotheses and experimental validating the research model. To better understand the users reaction towards spyware. To discuss the empirical result and the suggestion to promote and reduce the growth of spyware. 1.7 NATURE OF STUDY The author is studying about the impact of spyware in both mobile devices and computers, and the he generates some questionnaires which he will use to gather information from the general public and organisations. This study was design in such a way that the author and other practitioners will answer questions based on their perspective view. The conceptual model was based on extensive literature review of various theoretical models that is aligned with the technological, network, economical, business and some other dimension. The conceptual model is then converted into research model for validation and testing using data collected from the general public and some network specialist. 1.8 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY This study presents two main implications, the theoretical contribution and the practical contribution. The developed model in this study consists of six constructs; they are spyware knowledge, perceived privacy control, security effect, self efficiency, legal framework, and trustworthiness and trust in vendors. This model is tested empirically to explain what will lead the users to take technical defensive measures. In practical contribution, the result of this study will also benefit the software vendors, the users of computers and mobile devices and any other institution will be able to apply the key factors obtained from this research to meet their institutional, organizational or personal needs. This study will benefit in term of providing the users point of view and it will also contribute to administration decisions as the finding of the research help direct them to the area of focus. The findings will make the contribution in term of creating an understanding on the factors that will influence spyware growth and its level of impact. 1.9 METHODOLOGY OVERVIEW This research is design in such a way that it was divided in two adopted steps. The steps are the pre-test study and the main study. The pre-test study was the study that was done in the early stages of the research. This involves the literature reviewing of type of spyware, impact of spyware, how spyware affects the machine and so on. The pre-test was conducted to gain a greater understanding about spyware. The pre-test study helps in understanding the topic there by producing the main research questions. The main study will be conducted based on a survey, a questionnaires and interview conducted among users, corporations and some top school in Malaysia. The questionnaire will be use to collect data on some of the identified problems. The collected data will then be analyzed using the appropriate statistic tools. 1.10 CONCLUSION In conclusion, this chapter introduces the research to the reader by bringing out the background of spyware, the primary objective of the research, also stating the main questions of the research. It also discusses the methodology in summary. In short, this chapter will provides the reader will hopeful idea about the research. The following chapters will further provide the literature review on the impact of spyware in our machines and devices. 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter will provide an in-depth detail on spyware as well as the types of spyware. The chapter will also bring out all the possible definitions of spyware, the overview of spyware. The chapter will bring out the possible ways in which spyware operates and it will talk a little about the target victims of the spyware. The chapter will also analyze the infection methods of spyware and so on. 2.2 DEFINITION It is not easy to bring out a standard definition on spyware, which makes it much harder to understand. But the author will bring out all the definitions he can find and also propose/bring his own definition based on his understanding of the spyware. In the definition of spyware, two particular issues must be included for the definition to be complete. But research shows that users only stick to either one of the two when defining spyware. This two issues are always been contested by the users. The two particular issues contested are the range of software behaviour and the degree of user consent that is desirable. Firstly, some users prefer the narrow definition which focuses on the monitoring (Surveillance) aspects of spyware and its ability to steal, communicate and store information about users and their behavior. Others prefer the broad definition that includes adware, toolbars, search tools, hijackers and dialers. Definitions for spyware also include hacker tools for remote access and administration, key logging and cracking passwords. Second, there is limited agreement on the lawfulnessof spyware that engages in behavior such as targeting advertisements, installing programs on user machines and collecting click stream data. Users consider a wide range of programs that present spyware-like functionality unacceptable. To complicate the definition, certain software behaviors are acceptable in some contexts but not others. Furthermore, there is concern over user notice and consentrequired during an installation process. The practice of bundlingsoftware, which merges spyware with unrelated programs, also heightens this concern. Jerry Berman, President of the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), explained in testimony to the Subcommittee on Communications of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee in March 2004 that â€Å"The term has been applied to software ranging from keystroke loggers that capture every key typed on a particular computer; to advertising applications that track users web browsing; to programs that hijack users system settings.† (CDT 2004) He noted that what these various types of software programs â€Å"have in common is a lack of transparency and an absence of respect for users ability to control their own computers and Internet connections.† (CDT 2004) The author will also like to propose his definition of spyware based on his understanding of the matter. Spyware is a program that is installed in the machine with or without the permission of the user, and it can monitor the activities of the user, steal valuable information from the user and send to a third party and disturb/regulate the functionality of the machine like speed, stability and internet access efficiency. 2.3 OVERVIEW 2.3.1 Types of spyware Basically any software that can be installed in the users machine which is used to obtains information from their computer or mobile device without their knowledge can be termed as a spyware. There are many types of spyware that are doing the rounds on the Internet, but in technical terms, you can classify them into two broad categories namely, Domestic Spyware and Commercial Spyware. (UpickReviews 2007) 2.3.1.1 Domestic spyware Domestic spyware is software that is usually purchased and installed by computer owners to monitor the Internet behaviour on their computer networks. Employers usually use this software to monitor employee online activities. Some family members use domestic spyware to monitor other family members, while parents and guardians often use this kind of software to monitor the activities of their children online. Some people use this kind of softwares to spy on their friends and girl friend. In America, many couples often install this kind of software on their partners mobile phone in other to monitor their call. This usually happens when one party thinks the other is cheating on them. A third party can also install domestic spyware without the knowledge of the computer owner on their machine or mobile device. Law enforcement officials have often used domestic spyware to monitor suspected criminal activity and criminals have used domestic spyware to siphon personal information from private computers in order to steal assets. (TopTenReviews 2003) Domestic spyware is one of the most common spyware used using mobile devices. This is done to monitor the activity of the target victim i.e calls and SMS. 2.3.1.2 Commercial spyware. These types of software systems are often used by third parties to monitor and record the browsing behaviour of the user. The main purpose of it is to monitor the online habits of the user and sell the gathered information to anyone who might be interested. It is often online businesses that buy the information and use it to hit the user with targeted advertising, i.e. advertisements that relate to your usual Internet browsing habits. Advertisers often use commercial spyware simply because it is far simpler, economical and faster than collecting information through legal means such as contests, questionnaires, registration surveys and the likes. It is also because information gathered by spyware is far more reliable because users often dont cooperate when it comes to filling questionnaire sincerely, while some may accept to do it but they will not give true information when it comes to their private things. Since it represents the users true browsing behaviour, the advertisers go for it. You may take your pick while filling out an online registration form, but you just cannot cheat a spyware because it simply monitors and records all your activities. In the past marketers had to bribe their way to learn the users preferences through contests, registration surveys and the like. Those methods of gaining the users personal information still exist, but in those cases you have the power to read the fine print to learn the fate of your data and so could choose to consent or refuse There are many types of spyware that are classified under commercial spyware. They are: Browser hijackers, adware, Malware, dialers, Trojans and viruses, Worms, etc. 2.3.1.2.1 Adware Adware is the most common type of spyware available. They are cookies which hide on your computer waiting for you to go online. The cookies often get into your computer through popup that you open. Once the adware detects that youre connected to the Internet it starts sending you popup, pop-over, pop-under ads, and some sort of advertisement for anything from airline tickets to porn site membership. Not only that but even information on your viewing habits is tracked and stored. This data is then sold on to marketing companies who will be sending you more junk email and popup ads. (Spam-site 2006) 2.3.1.2.2 Dealers Software that gets installed on your computer that has the ability to make phone calls from your computer, though a phone-connected modem, without your knowledge. These programs will connect to other computers, through your phone line, which are usually porn sites. These numbers are pay per minute call though, so you get charged for the amount of time your computer is connected to it. While dialers do not spy on users they are malevolent in nature because they can cause huge financial harm to their victims. It is mostly used by porn sites. They can also be classified as hijackers. ( Abrams 2009) 2.3.1.2.3 Malware Malware is malicious software designed specifically to damage users machine. But Malware is typically not self-replicating or designed for PC-to-PC distribution. (Pareto 2009) 2.3.1.2.3 Trojan Trojan is a program that contains hidden functionality, often posing as useful applications yet performing Spyware or Adware functions and facilitates unauthorized access to the users computer system. The term ‘Trojan horse was found from the mythical wooden horse that carried hidden Greek soldiers into Troy. (Pareto 2009) 2.3.1.2.4 Worm Worms are self-replicating, fast-spreading Internet threats that are more like viruses than Spyware. They differ from viruses in that they can replace entire files on the host computer. Both viruses and worms attempt to spread to as many computers as possible, using e-mail, the Internet, and file-sharing networks as methods of distribution. (Pareto 2009) 2.4 OPERATIONS OF SPYWARE The usual method for a spyware to operate is to run secretly in the background of the users computers (McCardle 2003). The reason behind this concealing of processes is commonly argued as that it would hardly be acceptable if, e.g., if free file-sharing software kept stopping to ask the user if they are ready to fetch a new banner or a pop-up window (Townsend 2003). Therefore, the client/server routine of spyware is normally executed in the background. In practice, there would be nothing wrong with spyware running in the background provided that the users know that it is happening, what data is being transmitted, and that they have agreed to the process as part of the conditions for obtaining the freeware. However, most users are unaware that they have software on their computers that tracks and reports information on their Internet usage to a third party. Typically, a spyware program secretly gathers user information and spreads it without the users knowledge of it. Once installed, the spyware monitors, e.g., user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to third parties, such as advertising companies. In reality, spyware run constantly, even when their carrier program, e.g., a file-sharing tool, has been terminated. A more or less legal grey area is utilized by the spyware actors, since in most program licenses they specify that information may be gathered for corporate purposes. However, the usual model is to collect more information than they have asked for (Townsend 2003). Besides this, most license agreements are been formulated in such a way that the reader finds it extensively hard for users to understand. 2.5 SPYWARE INFECTION METHOD Spyware infects its victims through many different ways. The most common of these ways include drive-by download, P2P wrecks havoc, free software download, social engineering and vulnerability route. 2.5.1 Drive-by downloads This is a program that is automatically downloaded to users computer, often without the users knowledge. The download may be initiated when the user visits a website or by another application. Drive by downloads can also be initiated by Mouse Over downloads, requiring a user to run the mouse over a malicious Pop-up ad or malicious pop-up window. Another scenario is when the user visits a website that pops up a window with a message like in order to properly view this website you must install this program. The FTP / HTTP Get request will initiate the download of the software onto the client machine. Installation will be performed by the user and during this installation they will be asked permission to install the malware as well as the software. Internet Explorer uses ActiveX controls for installing legitimate plug-ins like Flash, to enhance the browsers functionality and provide interactive programs for Internet Explorer. When misused, it provides a means for installing spyware such as dialers, browser hijackers, and other types of malware. ActiveX programs can automatically download to a users computer, often without users knowledge. It can be invoked from web pages through the use of a scripting language or directly with an HTML OBJECT tag. On execution by a web browser, it has full access to the Windows operating system and does not run in a â€Å"sandbox. Depending on browser security settings, the browser application may display a security warning to either stop or continue the installation. The warning may not offer a proper description of the program, and usually is misleading or could be masked by other deceptive dialog boxes. Sometimes â€Å"No† is not taken for an answer, and repeated attempts are made to get the user to approve and download the application. ActiveX controls can be signed or unsigned. Signed ActiveX controls are automatically installed while browsing the web, and are used by spyware applications. A signed ActiveX control only verifies that the code or control was from the signer and that it has not been altered; however, it may still be malicious. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.5.2 P2P Wrecks Havoc Most of the spyware comes bundled with other popular programs that are that are free, also through most of the peer-to-peer networks like Kazaa, Bearshare, Limewire among others. They install malware in the machine as part of the P2P installation process. The P2P application may not function if these components are not installed. These â€Å"free† versions generate ad revenue for their publishers, causing pop-ups and sending information to affiliate networks for data aggregation or data mining. Applications such as Cydoor, New.net, TopText, SaveNow, Webhancer, VX2, CommonName, GetNet/ClearSearch, IncrediFind and OnFlow are of the few applications that are installed this way and may serve up ad banners and ad messages, or track your Internet surfing habits. Unfortunately, the makers of the host programs try not to advertise their programs hidden payloads. Reading the licensing agreement (carefully) during installation will often reveal embedded licenses for the piggybacking adware. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.5.3 Software free web download Some of the softwares that they claim is free in the internet, when you download and install them, at the same time you will be installing a secondary program. This secondary program is a spyware. It will monitor your activity and report to a third party or a central database. If the user notices the spyware and deletes it, but didnt delete the software, whenever the system online, the software will download the spyware application and install it again. This kind of infection often occurs when the use fails to read the license agreement. In other cases, the license agreement is twisted in such a way that the user will not understand it. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.5.4 Social engineering Sometimes when users browse the web, they may receive offers for corrective programs or special plug-ins that may be described as necessary for viewing the site. These voluntary but covert and unintentional installations are one source of spyware. Some of these offers are made to appear like a Windows alert from Microsoft or an anti-spyware application to tricks users into downloading and installing them. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.5.5 Security holes in internet explorer Another method of infection is by exploring the security holes in internet explorer. Internet Explorer has had multiple security vulnerabilities, some of which are disclosed by Microsoft with downloadable updates and patches. Some spyware applications take advantage of these holes and install Trojan droppers, which redirect the browser to portal sites. CoolWebSearch (one of the most notorious pests in recent times) and many other spyware are known to take advantage of Internet Explorer security holes. KeenValue, and InternetOptimizer are examples that use Trojan downloader. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.6 TARGET VICTIMS OF SPYWARE Spyware generally has no specific target victims, but in some cases it has specific victims. It attacks any and every one that falls into its trap. It usually hides in other programs or in some websites like porn website. Spyware is divided into two, domestic and commercial spyware. The victims of domestic spyware are specific, because domestic spyware is software that is usually purchased and installed by computer owners to monitor the Internet behaviour on their computer networks. Employers usually use this software to monitor employee online activities. Some family members use domestic spyware to monitor other family members, while parents and guardians often use this kind of software to monitor the activities of their children online. Some people use this kind of softwares to spy on their friends and girl friend. Others purchase this spyware to install in their partners mobile phone so as to monitor the call and SMS that they are making. Large companies and businesses are also among the most popular spyware targets. This often happen due to competition in the business or personal enmity, while sometimes is just for fun. In this kind of situation, malwares are often used. This is because malware is specifically design to damage the machine. The most popular victims of spyware are the general public. This is because spyware infects and still information about the general public and sends them to a third party who sells the information to advertising companies. More than 80% of general public that are using the internet have/had been affected by spyware one way or another. This shows that both mobile device users and computer users can be affected by spyware. 2.6.1 Mobile devices Not all mobile device users can be affected by spyware. There are categories of mobile devices that can be affected. This includes a blackberry, palmtop, iphone, and any other mobile device that has Bluetooth or can connect to the internet. This is because spyware has to be downloaded, transferred or installed from a source. 2.6.2 Computers All type of computers can be affected with spyware if they are online. Sometimes, the computer is not infected through the internet, but spyware needs the internet so as to establish connection with the third party. 2.7 IMPLICATIONS OF SPYWARE Spyware may Impact of Spyware on Computers and Mobile Devices Impact of Spyware on Computers and Mobile Devices 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 PROJECT OUTLINE The title of the project chosen by the author is â€Å"Study on the impact of spyware on computers and mobile devices† which simply means that the author analyzes the impact of spyware through an empirical study. The study focuses on the factors that influence the spyware growth which in turn increases its level of impact on computers and mobile devices. Computers and mobile devices are widely used; they are used to access the internet, while everyone wants to acquire the internet in todays world. While technology advances, so are the criminal activities on the technology. When talking about computer crime, the first thing that comes to mind is spyware. Spyware is so big of a crime that millions of dollars are lost annually due to it. Hackers use spyware to still private information from the users like credit card information and so on. Although spyware has been here for a long time, it is computer crime with no legal consequence. Users have little or no knowledge about what spyware is and it can do to them and their machines (computers and mobile devises). Even though virus has been around longer than spyware, but spyware is beginning to make its mark with computer security breaches. Spyware can collect personal data from a users computer. If not taken care of spyware can cause delayed processing of many of your applications. Below are the brief descriptions of each chapter: Chapter one: Introduction This chapter provides a brief overview of the project. It provides the reader with the background information about spyware and the problem statement. The research questions, limitations and methodology are also discussed in this chapter. Chapter two: Literature Review This chapter mainly deals with the pertinent literature of the impact of spyware and discussion on the various types of spyware effect and the comparison between the mobile spyware and the computer spyware. Lastly, the chapter will also discuss about the factors enhancing spyware growth. Chapter three: Research Framework and Hypotheses Development This chapter discus the author is going to propose the research framework/model and hypotheses to explore the users perception about privacy, self efficiency, security, legal framework, spyware knowledge and self-efficiency, trust and cost. Chapter four: Research Methodology This chapter will describe the research design that is used during the research. The chapter will discuss the overall research process. The chapter will also include information on data collection, sampling plan and questionnaire development. Chapter five: Data Analysis and Findings This chapter will outline the data collected through questionnaire and interviews by making use of the appropriate software and analysis of the study. The chapter will also provide discussion of the research findings. Chapter six: Conclusion and Recommendation This chapter will discuss about the result of the previous chapter the contribution of the study to the body knowledge. Conclusion along with future enhancement will also be discussed in the chapter. This chapter concludes the research. 1.2 INTRODUCTION This chapter is meant to give the user/reader helpful idea and an insight to the whole research. Most readers will like to get a grasp of the main ideas of a research paper before actually proceeding to read the whole research. This chapter clearly states the primary objective of the research and the main problem which is been researched. The backgrounds and nature of the study are also highlight the purpose of the research. Several books and journals have been read by the author to have foundation knowledge on the concept of spyware. Spyware is a significant problem to most computer users today. The term â€Å"spyware† describes a new class of computer software. This software tracks users activities online or offline, provides targeted advertising, and engage in other types of activities that the user does not desire or the user may describe as invasive to them. Analysis suggests that these types of programs may reside on up to 90 percent (%) of all the computers connected to the internet. (EarthLink 2005) Frequently, programs bundle spyware with freeware or shareware, though it can also arrive via email, instant messages or web downloads. While the magnitude of the spyware problem is well documented, even do recent studies have had only limited success in explaining the broad range of user behaviors that contribute to the proliferation of spyware. Unlike viruses and other malicious code, users themselves often have a choice whether they want to install these programs. Anecdotal evidence suggests, and our study confirms, that some users are willing to install spyware when the desired application is of perceived high utility and a comparable product without spyware is not available or known to the user (Michelle Delio 2004). Our goals in this study are to understand the factors and users decision making process in installing spyware. During installation, users are presented with notices such as software agreements, terms of service (TOS), end user licensing agreements (EULA), and security warnings. Based on information in these notices, users should, in theory, be able to make a decision about whether to install the software and evaluate the potential consequences of that decision. However, there is a general perception that these notices are ineffective and users often dont even read the software agreement, terms of service, end user licensing or security warnings. One software provider included a $1000 cash prize offer in the EULA that was displayed during each software installation, yet the prize was only claimed after 4 months and 3,000 downloads of the software (PC PitStop 2005). 1.3 BACKGROUND STUDY Spyware has existed at least since the late 1980s when some Keyloggers where discovered in some university computers. â€Å"The word spyware was first used in publicly in October 1995. It popped up on Usenet (a distributed Internet discussion system in which users post e-mail like messages) in an article aimed at Microsofts business model.† (Shanmuga 2005) Over the years, there has been a steady growth in the use of spyware by online attackers and criminals to execute crime against individual, companies and organisations. In the span of just few years, spyware has become the internets most popular download. During the years, the anti-spyware was developed to tackle this problem. The anti-spyware was meant to find, detect and remove the spyware. But even with the development of anti-spyware, spyware still continues to grow every day. One of the factors that aid this growth is the lack of standard definition of spyware. Jerry Berman, President of the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), explained in testimony to the Subcommittee on Communications of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee in March 2004 that â€Å"The term has been applied to software ranging from keystroke loggers that capture every key typed on a particular computer; to advertising applications that track users web browsing; to programs that hijack users system settings.† (CDT 2004) He noted that what these various types of software programs â€Å"have in common is a lack of transparency and an absence of respect for users ability to control their own computers and Internet connections.† (CDT 2004) Different anti-spyware companies and organizations use different definition which makes even difficult for the users of computers and mobile dont even know what spyware is, as such how can they know the threat of it and the harm it those to their devices 1.4 PROBLEM STATEMENT The problem statement of this research study â€Å"is the hypothesized factors influence and positive affect the users attitude towards spyware?† Even do spyware has been here for over two decades, it still does not have a standard definition. This makes it harder for users to understand what spyware is and how it affects their system, and how deep is the level of impact. (Norbert 2007) Past studies have been done to study the development of spyware and its growth, how it affects the businesses, privacy and other personal informations of the users, and disrupts the performance of the users machine, and the factors that influence the growth. While the magnitude of the spyware problem is well documented, even do these studies have had only limited success in explaining the broad range of user behaviors that contribute to the proliferation of spyware. Unlike virus and other malicious codes, users often have the choice to whether they want to install this spyware or not. While other users install it with other programs without knowing. This situation often arises as a result of users not reading the software agreement, term of service or the end user licensing agreements. Nonetheless, only very few studies focus specifically on the level of spyware impact on computers and mobile devices, and most of them were carried out in the United States of America USA. Addressing this problem is a very big issue, because users dont want to spend two to five minutes of their time to read the terms of service. The software producers often put in a lot of information in the terms of service there by making the user not read because it is too lengthy. 1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS With reference to the Problem statement, the author suggested the following questions: What are the factors influencing spyware growth among users? What are the theoretical models used and extended in previous studies of spyware? What are the significant factors influencing the research? What are the users reactions towards spyware? How will the research result affect impact of spyware on computers and mobile devices? 1.6 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES With reference to the research questions, the author developed the following research objectives for the study: To identify the factors influencing spyware growth among users. To study and discuss the theoretical models used and extended in previous studies of spyware. To examine the hypotheses and experimental validating the research model. To better understand the users reaction towards spyware. To discuss the empirical result and the suggestion to promote and reduce the growth of spyware. 1.7 NATURE OF STUDY The author is studying about the impact of spyware in both mobile devices and computers, and the he generates some questionnaires which he will use to gather information from the general public and organisations. This study was design in such a way that the author and other practitioners will answer questions based on their perspective view. The conceptual model was based on extensive literature review of various theoretical models that is aligned with the technological, network, economical, business and some other dimension. The conceptual model is then converted into research model for validation and testing using data collected from the general public and some network specialist. 1.8 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY This study presents two main implications, the theoretical contribution and the practical contribution. The developed model in this study consists of six constructs; they are spyware knowledge, perceived privacy control, security effect, self efficiency, legal framework, and trustworthiness and trust in vendors. This model is tested empirically to explain what will lead the users to take technical defensive measures. In practical contribution, the result of this study will also benefit the software vendors, the users of computers and mobile devices and any other institution will be able to apply the key factors obtained from this research to meet their institutional, organizational or personal needs. This study will benefit in term of providing the users point of view and it will also contribute to administration decisions as the finding of the research help direct them to the area of focus. The findings will make the contribution in term of creating an understanding on the factors that will influence spyware growth and its level of impact. 1.9 METHODOLOGY OVERVIEW This research is design in such a way that it was divided in two adopted steps. The steps are the pre-test study and the main study. The pre-test study was the study that was done in the early stages of the research. This involves the literature reviewing of type of spyware, impact of spyware, how spyware affects the machine and so on. The pre-test was conducted to gain a greater understanding about spyware. The pre-test study helps in understanding the topic there by producing the main research questions. The main study will be conducted based on a survey, a questionnaires and interview conducted among users, corporations and some top school in Malaysia. The questionnaire will be use to collect data on some of the identified problems. The collected data will then be analyzed using the appropriate statistic tools. 1.10 CONCLUSION In conclusion, this chapter introduces the research to the reader by bringing out the background of spyware, the primary objective of the research, also stating the main questions of the research. It also discusses the methodology in summary. In short, this chapter will provides the reader will hopeful idea about the research. The following chapters will further provide the literature review on the impact of spyware in our machines and devices. 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter will provide an in-depth detail on spyware as well as the types of spyware. The chapter will also bring out all the possible definitions of spyware, the overview of spyware. The chapter will bring out the possible ways in which spyware operates and it will talk a little about the target victims of the spyware. The chapter will also analyze the infection methods of spyware and so on. 2.2 DEFINITION It is not easy to bring out a standard definition on spyware, which makes it much harder to understand. But the author will bring out all the definitions he can find and also propose/bring his own definition based on his understanding of the spyware. In the definition of spyware, two particular issues must be included for the definition to be complete. But research shows that users only stick to either one of the two when defining spyware. This two issues are always been contested by the users. The two particular issues contested are the range of software behaviour and the degree of user consent that is desirable. Firstly, some users prefer the narrow definition which focuses on the monitoring (Surveillance) aspects of spyware and its ability to steal, communicate and store information about users and their behavior. Others prefer the broad definition that includes adware, toolbars, search tools, hijackers and dialers. Definitions for spyware also include hacker tools for remote access and administration, key logging and cracking passwords. Second, there is limited agreement on the lawfulnessof spyware that engages in behavior such as targeting advertisements, installing programs on user machines and collecting click stream data. Users consider a wide range of programs that present spyware-like functionality unacceptable. To complicate the definition, certain software behaviors are acceptable in some contexts but not others. Furthermore, there is concern over user notice and consentrequired during an installation process. The practice of bundlingsoftware, which merges spyware with unrelated programs, also heightens this concern. Jerry Berman, President of the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), explained in testimony to the Subcommittee on Communications of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee in March 2004 that â€Å"The term has been applied to software ranging from keystroke loggers that capture every key typed on a particular computer; to advertising applications that track users web browsing; to programs that hijack users system settings.† (CDT 2004) He noted that what these various types of software programs â€Å"have in common is a lack of transparency and an absence of respect for users ability to control their own computers and Internet connections.† (CDT 2004) The author will also like to propose his definition of spyware based on his understanding of the matter. Spyware is a program that is installed in the machine with or without the permission of the user, and it can monitor the activities of the user, steal valuable information from the user and send to a third party and disturb/regulate the functionality of the machine like speed, stability and internet access efficiency. 2.3 OVERVIEW 2.3.1 Types of spyware Basically any software that can be installed in the users machine which is used to obtains information from their computer or mobile device without their knowledge can be termed as a spyware. There are many types of spyware that are doing the rounds on the Internet, but in technical terms, you can classify them into two broad categories namely, Domestic Spyware and Commercial Spyware. (UpickReviews 2007) 2.3.1.1 Domestic spyware Domestic spyware is software that is usually purchased and installed by computer owners to monitor the Internet behaviour on their computer networks. Employers usually use this software to monitor employee online activities. Some family members use domestic spyware to monitor other family members, while parents and guardians often use this kind of software to monitor the activities of their children online. Some people use this kind of softwares to spy on their friends and girl friend. In America, many couples often install this kind of software on their partners mobile phone in other to monitor their call. This usually happens when one party thinks the other is cheating on them. A third party can also install domestic spyware without the knowledge of the computer owner on their machine or mobile device. Law enforcement officials have often used domestic spyware to monitor suspected criminal activity and criminals have used domestic spyware to siphon personal information from private computers in order to steal assets. (TopTenReviews 2003) Domestic spyware is one of the most common spyware used using mobile devices. This is done to monitor the activity of the target victim i.e calls and SMS. 2.3.1.2 Commercial spyware. These types of software systems are often used by third parties to monitor and record the browsing behaviour of the user. The main purpose of it is to monitor the online habits of the user and sell the gathered information to anyone who might be interested. It is often online businesses that buy the information and use it to hit the user with targeted advertising, i.e. advertisements that relate to your usual Internet browsing habits. Advertisers often use commercial spyware simply because it is far simpler, economical and faster than collecting information through legal means such as contests, questionnaires, registration surveys and the likes. It is also because information gathered by spyware is far more reliable because users often dont cooperate when it comes to filling questionnaire sincerely, while some may accept to do it but they will not give true information when it comes to their private things. Since it represents the users true browsing behaviour, the advertisers go for it. You may take your pick while filling out an online registration form, but you just cannot cheat a spyware because it simply monitors and records all your activities. In the past marketers had to bribe their way to learn the users preferences through contests, registration surveys and the like. Those methods of gaining the users personal information still exist, but in those cases you have the power to read the fine print to learn the fate of your data and so could choose to consent or refuse There are many types of spyware that are classified under commercial spyware. They are: Browser hijackers, adware, Malware, dialers, Trojans and viruses, Worms, etc. 2.3.1.2.1 Adware Adware is the most common type of spyware available. They are cookies which hide on your computer waiting for you to go online. The cookies often get into your computer through popup that you open. Once the adware detects that youre connected to the Internet it starts sending you popup, pop-over, pop-under ads, and some sort of advertisement for anything from airline tickets to porn site membership. Not only that but even information on your viewing habits is tracked and stored. This data is then sold on to marketing companies who will be sending you more junk email and popup ads. (Spam-site 2006) 2.3.1.2.2 Dealers Software that gets installed on your computer that has the ability to make phone calls from your computer, though a phone-connected modem, without your knowledge. These programs will connect to other computers, through your phone line, which are usually porn sites. These numbers are pay per minute call though, so you get charged for the amount of time your computer is connected to it. While dialers do not spy on users they are malevolent in nature because they can cause huge financial harm to their victims. It is mostly used by porn sites. They can also be classified as hijackers. ( Abrams 2009) 2.3.1.2.3 Malware Malware is malicious software designed specifically to damage users machine. But Malware is typically not self-replicating or designed for PC-to-PC distribution. (Pareto 2009) 2.3.1.2.3 Trojan Trojan is a program that contains hidden functionality, often posing as useful applications yet performing Spyware or Adware functions and facilitates unauthorized access to the users computer system. The term ‘Trojan horse was found from the mythical wooden horse that carried hidden Greek soldiers into Troy. (Pareto 2009) 2.3.1.2.4 Worm Worms are self-replicating, fast-spreading Internet threats that are more like viruses than Spyware. They differ from viruses in that they can replace entire files on the host computer. Both viruses and worms attempt to spread to as many computers as possible, using e-mail, the Internet, and file-sharing networks as methods of distribution. (Pareto 2009) 2.4 OPERATIONS OF SPYWARE The usual method for a spyware to operate is to run secretly in the background of the users computers (McCardle 2003). The reason behind this concealing of processes is commonly argued as that it would hardly be acceptable if, e.g., if free file-sharing software kept stopping to ask the user if they are ready to fetch a new banner or a pop-up window (Townsend 2003). Therefore, the client/server routine of spyware is normally executed in the background. In practice, there would be nothing wrong with spyware running in the background provided that the users know that it is happening, what data is being transmitted, and that they have agreed to the process as part of the conditions for obtaining the freeware. However, most users are unaware that they have software on their computers that tracks and reports information on their Internet usage to a third party. Typically, a spyware program secretly gathers user information and spreads it without the users knowledge of it. Once installed, the spyware monitors, e.g., user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to third parties, such as advertising companies. In reality, spyware run constantly, even when their carrier program, e.g., a file-sharing tool, has been terminated. A more or less legal grey area is utilized by the spyware actors, since in most program licenses they specify that information may be gathered for corporate purposes. However, the usual model is to collect more information than they have asked for (Townsend 2003). Besides this, most license agreements are been formulated in such a way that the reader finds it extensively hard for users to understand. 2.5 SPYWARE INFECTION METHOD Spyware infects its victims through many different ways. The most common of these ways include drive-by download, P2P wrecks havoc, free software download, social engineering and vulnerability route. 2.5.1 Drive-by downloads This is a program that is automatically downloaded to users computer, often without the users knowledge. The download may be initiated when the user visits a website or by another application. Drive by downloads can also be initiated by Mouse Over downloads, requiring a user to run the mouse over a malicious Pop-up ad or malicious pop-up window. Another scenario is when the user visits a website that pops up a window with a message like in order to properly view this website you must install this program. The FTP / HTTP Get request will initiate the download of the software onto the client machine. Installation will be performed by the user and during this installation they will be asked permission to install the malware as well as the software. Internet Explorer uses ActiveX controls for installing legitimate plug-ins like Flash, to enhance the browsers functionality and provide interactive programs for Internet Explorer. When misused, it provides a means for installing spyware such as dialers, browser hijackers, and other types of malware. ActiveX programs can automatically download to a users computer, often without users knowledge. It can be invoked from web pages through the use of a scripting language or directly with an HTML OBJECT tag. On execution by a web browser, it has full access to the Windows operating system and does not run in a â€Å"sandbox. Depending on browser security settings, the browser application may display a security warning to either stop or continue the installation. The warning may not offer a proper description of the program, and usually is misleading or could be masked by other deceptive dialog boxes. Sometimes â€Å"No† is not taken for an answer, and repeated attempts are made to get the user to approve and download the application. ActiveX controls can be signed or unsigned. Signed ActiveX controls are automatically installed while browsing the web, and are used by spyware applications. A signed ActiveX control only verifies that the code or control was from the signer and that it has not been altered; however, it may still be malicious. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.5.2 P2P Wrecks Havoc Most of the spyware comes bundled with other popular programs that are that are free, also through most of the peer-to-peer networks like Kazaa, Bearshare, Limewire among others. They install malware in the machine as part of the P2P installation process. The P2P application may not function if these components are not installed. These â€Å"free† versions generate ad revenue for their publishers, causing pop-ups and sending information to affiliate networks for data aggregation or data mining. Applications such as Cydoor, New.net, TopText, SaveNow, Webhancer, VX2, CommonName, GetNet/ClearSearch, IncrediFind and OnFlow are of the few applications that are installed this way and may serve up ad banners and ad messages, or track your Internet surfing habits. Unfortunately, the makers of the host programs try not to advertise their programs hidden payloads. Reading the licensing agreement (carefully) during installation will often reveal embedded licenses for the piggybacking adware. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.5.3 Software free web download Some of the softwares that they claim is free in the internet, when you download and install them, at the same time you will be installing a secondary program. This secondary program is a spyware. It will monitor your activity and report to a third party or a central database. If the user notices the spyware and deletes it, but didnt delete the software, whenever the system online, the software will download the spyware application and install it again. This kind of infection often occurs when the use fails to read the license agreement. In other cases, the license agreement is twisted in such a way that the user will not understand it. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.5.4 Social engineering Sometimes when users browse the web, they may receive offers for corrective programs or special plug-ins that may be described as necessary for viewing the site. These voluntary but covert and unintentional installations are one source of spyware. Some of these offers are made to appear like a Windows alert from Microsoft or an anti-spyware application to tricks users into downloading and installing them. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.5.5 Security holes in internet explorer Another method of infection is by exploring the security holes in internet explorer. Internet Explorer has had multiple security vulnerabilities, some of which are disclosed by Microsoft with downloadable updates and patches. Some spyware applications take advantage of these holes and install Trojan droppers, which redirect the browser to portal sites. CoolWebSearch (one of the most notorious pests in recent times) and many other spyware are known to take advantage of Internet Explorer security holes. KeenValue, and InternetOptimizer are examples that use Trojan downloader. (Shanmuga 2005) 2.6 TARGET VICTIMS OF SPYWARE Spyware generally has no specific target victims, but in some cases it has specific victims. It attacks any and every one that falls into its trap. It usually hides in other programs or in some websites like porn website. Spyware is divided into two, domestic and commercial spyware. The victims of domestic spyware are specific, because domestic spyware is software that is usually purchased and installed by computer owners to monitor the Internet behaviour on their computer networks. Employers usually use this software to monitor employee online activities. Some family members use domestic spyware to monitor other family members, while parents and guardians often use this kind of software to monitor the activities of their children online. Some people use this kind of softwares to spy on their friends and girl friend. Others purchase this spyware to install in their partners mobile phone so as to monitor the call and SMS that they are making. Large companies and businesses are also among the most popular spyware targets. This often happen due to competition in the business or personal enmity, while sometimes is just for fun. In this kind of situation, malwares are often used. This is because malware is specifically design to damage the machine. The most popular victims of spyware are the general public. This is because spyware infects and still information about the general public and sends them to a third party who sells the information to advertising companies. More than 80% of general public that are using the internet have/had been affected by spyware one way or another. This shows that both mobile device users and computer users can be affected by spyware. 2.6.1 Mobile devices Not all mobile device users can be affected by spyware. There are categories of mobile devices that can be affected. This includes a blackberry, palmtop, iphone, and any other mobile device that has Bluetooth or can connect to the internet. This is because spyware has to be downloaded, transferred or installed from a source. 2.6.2 Computers All type of computers can be affected with spyware if they are online. Sometimes, the computer is not infected through the internet, but spyware needs the internet so as to establish connection with the third party. 2.7 IMPLICATIONS OF SPYWARE Spyware may