The Internet and its servicesWorking with the Internet does not simply mean browsing the www and sending and receiving e-mails. The basic structure of the Internet has been developed over the last 30 years of the Internet's existence. The Internet is a heterogeneous worldwide network composed of a large number of host computers and local area networks. The Internet uses the TCP/IP protocol suite. This allows the integration of a large number of different computers into a single network with highly efficient communication between them. This way, the user can access information on all types of host computers from a desktop PC, Macintosh, or whatever they have available. TCP/IP, the communications standard underlying the Internet, traces its origins to work done at the U.S. Department of Defense in the late 1960s. The first version of the Internet was built in 1969 and consisted of just four computers. In 1982, a series of specifications and protocols were implemented, which became known as TCP/IP in reference to their two main elements, the "Transmission Control Protocol" and the "Internet Protocol". The development and implementation of TCP/IP spurred a massive growth process for the Internet. "By the end of 1987, growth was estimated to have reached 15 percent per month and remained high for the next two years. By 1990, Internet connectivity included over 3,000 active networks, over 3,000 active networks, and over 200,000 computers. In January 1992 the number of hosts on the Internet was 727,000, doubling every 7 months. Various groups of users are connected to the Internet: universities and other educational institutions, government agencies, the military and, in increasing numbers, private companies most basic of the Internet is to transmit electronic information from one computer to another. A 32-bit Internet address or IP number identifies each computer on the network. This number is commonly represented by four numbers joined by dots information across the network. This is called routing. However, such numbers are usually difficult to remember. Therefore, computers are also identified by domain names, which are to some extent similar to postal addresses. Special programs, called name servers, translate domain names into IP addresses. Internet services can be div... middle of paper... hammers that put these things together, however, are becoming increasingly subtle in allowing them to bypass firewalls. Comet Cursor, for example, uses an HTTP post command to connect without the intervention of a firewall. You can also install a registry monitor like Regmon to monitor the registry for unwanted registry changes, but this isn't foolproof either. Probably the best removal method is to download a spyware removal program and run it as if it were a virus scanner. The best examples of these programs are: Adaware by Lavasoft. Available at http://www.lavasoftusa.com/ or OptOut from professional cybernut Steve Gibson. Available at: http://grc.com/optout.htm Both of these programs are free and are updated regularly. Here are some links if you want to learn more about spyware: http://www.spychecker.com/http://grc.com/optout.htm http://www.thebee.com/bweb/iinfo200. htmC. The illegal stuff.1. Scam paid sites.2. Hacking software.3. Downloading pirated applications and games.4. Ordering books and music CDs with a generated credit card.5. Read other people's email.6. Spying on other people on the Internet.