The Internet and Scrolling Marquee

[Ian]

Whenever I am connected to the internet and my Screen Saver comes on, the Scrolling Marquee goes across the screen faster then if it was on while the internet was off. I would like to know if anyone has any theories about why this happens and I would like to know if this has happened to anyone else.

[El Greco]

Maybe when you're off the screensaver keeps trying to establish a connection with some site ?

[Ian]

When the internet is off, the scrolling marquee isn't fast, so it's probably somhow connected to the internet when it's on, even though it is not supposed to be connected to the internet. Can other programs that are not supposed to be connected to the internet be connected to the internet just because the internet is on?

[El Greco]

Yes, a lot of spyware, malware and other -ware can detect a connection and try to send or receive data.

[Ian]

Do you think that my scrolling marquee is some kind of (whatever it's called) I think that it's called a "Backdoor File"?

[El Greco]

Perhaps. You could try running Stinger (http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/) to catch a few worms and Adaware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/) to get rid of any spyware.

[Ian]

In the future, I will probably try to use an antivirus program that's different from the one that you use because I have a cd-rom that has one that's different. I think that there are probably thousands of computers that have scrolling marquees that go faster whenever somebody's connected to the internet and they probably don't go faster when they are offline. People should be warned about worms and spyware that you said could probably come through the intenet in that way.

[El Greco]

Personally I don't use a resident AV; I think it's too much of a hassle. I just take frequent backups and run periodic checks with tools like Stinger. And every 6 months or so I do a clean install. And I also know pretty well what files I download and open. Friends who run and update AV programs don't manage to avoid lots of worms and spywares anyway...

[Ian]

I think that people have to be careful whenever they download a program from the internet and they should check to see whether or not that website has files that have computer viruses and worms in it.

[Soapy Sam]

Ian- Are you running a software firewall? It should tell you what can and cannot contact the internet.

[Ian]

I am not running a firewall, but I should get one sometime.

[richardm]

Do it today. There are firewalls that are free (http://www.zonelabs.com) and simple to use.

[Ian]

I will do it sometime later this month.