Microsoft is giving away free spyware protection technology in response to calls for greater security.
"We have lots of cases where students complain that their computers have slowed down when they go online or they get so many pop-ups that they can't do their work," said Caroline Couture, who is a senior information technology support specialist at Penn.
Calling spyware "one of the most vexing challenges" they face yesterday in a statement, Microsoft officials believe that its Windows AntiSpyware software will prevent the harmful effects of spyware.
Often attached to free programs such as Kazaa and WeatherBug*, spyware monitors computer users' actions without their knowledge. This software keeps a log of what Web sites computer users visit, their usernames and their passwords and launches unwanted pop-up ads.
College and Engineering sophomore Jessica McConaughy said she "was having problems with [her] computer and had 35 things of spyware."
The spyware caused her computer to slow down and her screen to occasionally go black.
Couture warned, however, that Microsoft's AntiSpyware software, which is still being beta tested, could have downsides.
"Being in beta means that [the software] might not work the way Microsoft thinks it will work. Beta software is a bit of a risk," she said. "We have started testing the Microsoft product ourselves and speaking with colleagues at other universities to get their opinions about the software as well."
Computer and Information Science Chairman Fernando Pereira said that Microsoft's program is a step in the right direction.
"There's always a tradeoff between convenience and security. [Microsoft is] trying to move the line in the direction of security," he noted. "I don't think there is a final solution to this problem except for people being much more careful about what they download."
Nonetheless, Pereira gave one quick solution to students' computer security concerns.
"The main way of avoiding spyware is to avoid not downloading software from the [Internet] unless it comes from a real authenticated source. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is," he said.
Engineering junior Yosef Weiner, who is an Information Technology Adviser, said spyware "is pretty big because there [are] just a lot of things that people don't realize" about its effects.
The new anti-spyware program, which will feature automatic monthly updates, was released earlier this month and is available for download.
The program is part of a larger effort of Microsoft's to venture into antivirus software -- their versions of which will focus on other forms of viruses -- that will compete against that of companies like McAfee and Symantec, which currently produce the most popular programs.
Clarification: The program WeatherBug was identified as being a carrier for spyware. Though the program has been listed on some spyware lists in the past, it is not currently listed as a threat by Microsoft. The program does not track individual user information.
