Spyware Installed on Majority of Home Computers
Eighty percent of computers had spyware installed on them, even though 77 percent of the computers' owners thought their computers were virus-free. That's what a study released Monday by America Online and the National Cyber Security Alliance said. their PC is safe, even though it probably isn't, those who conducted the study said. "Just like you don't expect to get hit by a car, you don't believe a computer attack can happen to you," the head of the Alliance says. He hopes this report will encourage more home users to better protect their PCs, using firewalls and keeping anti-virus software up-to-date.

New Chip for Those with Memory Loss
A chip that replaces your hippocampus may be your source for memories if you ever experience a stroke, alzheimers, or other head trauma. A group of scientists from several universities have created a chip that can interact with your brain and store your memories, and they believe the chip will be tested and ready for use in humans within 15 years, if all goes well. Testing will be difficult-- scientists can't think of all the same things you might think about-- but right now, the chip is successful in storing memories, with a 95 percent accuracy rate.

Telecoms Share Your Personal Data
In a study of the 27 largest telecom companies, 85 percent used web visitors' personal information for purposes other than what the visitors intended. While the companies' web sites were found to be easy to use, about 20 percent of these companies use visitor registration information for internal marketing, or they give the data to their business partners.

Restraining Order Put On Spam King
The Federal Trade Commission has successfully shut down a man known as the "Spam King." The man was ordered by a federal judge to stop using spyware to track people's Internet use and force pop-up ads onto their computers. The man's lawyers say he just wants to advertise within the limits of the law, and he's looking forward to learning what those limits are.

Google Search Tool Raises Privacy Issues
Google has released the beta version of a search engine tool that tracks much of the activity on your computer, including emails you've written and files you've saved. While the tool can be useful for quickly finding information, if installed on a machine that's used by multiple people, there is nothing to prevent others from viewing your email history. While the tool wasn't meant to be "spyware," it functions in a similar capacity.

Databases Help With Political Marketing
As the election approaches, both parties continue to use databases that are full of voter information, including demographic information and specific consumption attributes. These databases help them market their "product" with specific messages for each voter. This trend is expected to continue, as campaign finance reform is forcing the two parties in this direction.

Biometric Passports Coming Soon
Passports that incorporate facial recognition technology will be issued by the United States this year, despite privacy and technical issues. By the end of the year, the State Department is expected to announce the new passports to the public, hoping that the passports will speed up and tighten security at U.S. airports and borders. The passports will contain RFID chips, which will have information about the passport holder's age and place of birth. And though they will have the ability to hold biometric information (iris or fingerprint identification), it will be a year or more before this ability is used.

Does Your Software Work with Windows XP Service Pack 2?
If you have already downloaded Windows XP SP2, you may have noticed that some of your software no longer works as it should. If you haven't downloaded SP2 yet and are hesitant, Microsoft has compiled a list of all known software that doesn't function once you upgrade. See this Microsoft web site for more information.

Activate a Screen Saver without Waiting
If you have a screen saver on your computer, you can activate it whenever you leave your desk, without waiting the obligitory five or ten minutes for it to appear. To find screen savers on your machine, search your c: or d: drive for files that end in *.scr. When you find a screen-saver file, right-click and choose Send To Desktop (create shortcut). The shortcut appears on your desktop and you can now double-click the desktop shortcut to activate it.

Change the Size of Your Scrollbars
You can make your scrollbars wider by right-clicking your desktop and choosing Properties.Then click the Appearance tab. From the Item drop-down list, choose Scrollbar. (In Windows XP, click the Advanced button, and then choose Scrollbar from the Item list.) You can then increase the size of the scrollbar to as large as you'd like, and click Apply to save the setting. From this screen you can also change the size and color of menus and tooltips, among other things.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions regarding this newsletter, email suzanne@surfsecret.com.