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Browser Hijacking
compiled from various widely respected www industry sources

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There is a despicable trend that is becoming more and more common where the browser settings of web surfers are being hijacked.  Browser hijacking is where malicious code of some sort, whether it be javascript, ActiveX, or some other sort of scripting, modifies your browser settings.  It can also mean that your default start page has been reset from your choice to something else.  Sometimes javascripts will add ready-made internet shortcuts to your favorites folder without asking you.

In some cases, these changes are reversible simply by going into internet options and switching them back.  Not always however.  Sometimes it's necessary to edit the windows registry (gasp!) to undo the changes made.  This is where "Tweakui" comes in handy, as well as "Ad-Aware".  Sometimes there is even a combination of registry setting and files clandestinely placed on your hard drive that redo your settings every time you reboot the computer.  No matter how often you change your settings back, they are changed again the next time you restart.  There have even been cases where internet options have been removed from the tools menu by registry hacking to prevent you from controlling your own computer!

AOL has started doing something similar recently by placing it's web site free.aol.com in IE's trusted sites security zone, thereby bypassing the most frequently used security settings.  This occurs after installing their AOL software.  AOL Instant Messenger, Netscape 6.x, and even the latest ICQ2001b has reportedly done this.

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It is most important to know what each of the security settings in your browser does and how to set them to defend your Privacy.

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You might also consider that our government is sitting back rather pleased (litterally) and even promoting the private sector developing the current proliferation of Privacy spyware, putting it to use, making it not-uncommon practice and developing as detailed a profile as they can about everyone that is careless enough to allow it.  Certain Repubic government factions have been trying to institute such profiling systems for the last 50 years but have been thwarted in Court by Privacy Rights advocates.  Those Republic factions are historically notorious for their covert spying .... which has resulted in an enormous number of files in the NSA, FBI, CIA, et. al. on innocent people, .... and data on virtually every American.  We can surely assume they are promoting and enterprising upon the rapidly expanding internet invasion of Privacy ... even as they are now in a pointed campaign to petition lawmakers to make even more spying legal to them under the guise of "terrorist threat".

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If you care to learn more about such matters, using internet search syntax is an exellent way.  I use Yahoo syntax search which has worked well for me.  If you would like to learn more about search syntax you can find it briefed on the syntax engine page at:

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6-19-02