Spyware Remover Your Defense Against Internet Morons
Spyware is defined as a type of software that discreetly gathers information about a computer user’s online connection without his or her knowledge. Often included as a concealed part of freeware or shareware that a user downloads, spyware will embed itself into the user’s computer and transmit private Internet activity to another party. File sharing programs are notorious for infecting computers with spyware.
Spyware is an invasion of your privacy and can cause problems with the operation of your computer. Spyware can even record what keys you type, your private passwords, and other sensitive information that you don’t want people to know. And it can be notoriously difficult to get rid of.
You can usually tell that you have spyware when settings on your computer such as your default browser are changed. Also, the appearance of frequent pop-up ads is another good indicator that malicious software is affecting your computer. Your computer may suddenly start redirecting you when you type an address into the address bar. You may also notice new toolbars on your browser that were not there previously.
Perhaps the most common and annoying symptom of sypware is an overall sluggishness of your computer. The computer may be painfully slow during startup or shutdown. Going to a new page on the Internet may take minutes instead of seconds.
So what’s a frustrated victim of spyware to do? Get a good spyware remover to eradicate the problem! There are various software programs that perform spyware removal. Some of them are free, some of them are not.
When seeking a good spyware remover, it’s wise to do some preliminary research and compare features and prices before making a purchase or final choice. Not all spyware removers are created equal. Some of the free ones can potentially work better than the ones you pay for, so look around before shelling out money.
One of the most popular free spyware removal programs that you can download is Lavasoft’s AdAware. This program not only helps eradicate irritating spyware from your computer, it also offers protection against browser hijackers, Trojans and aggressive advertisements. Running this free program on a regular basis removes any malicious spyware or content that may compromise your privacy or harm your computer.
Microsoft also offers its own beta version of a free spyware removal tool called Windows Defender. This program will protect your computer from security threats, pop-up windows, and slow or poor performance caused by unwanted spyware and associated programs. Windows Defender features a monitoring system that recommends particular action when spyware is detected. Its streamlined user interface allows the program to run while you are doing other things on your computer.
No matter whether you choose, a spyware remover that is free or one that costs money, the important thing is that you get rid of your spyware as soon as possible before the problem gets out of control.
Copyright © by Roy White
Staff@spyware-remover-free.net
Roy White is owner and publisher of the acclaimed
home computer security website Spyware Removers.
A free online resource of home computer security and available spyware removal programs.
Spyware Remover
http://www.spyware-remover-free.net
The Hidden Dangers of Adware
Adware in the purest sense of the word is not a dangerous thing, designed only to display targeted advertising to you while browsing the internet. It was originally developed by marketers to be non intrusive and use very little system resources. You can easily recognize adware by the display of pop up advertisements on your computer screen, often appearing when you perform searches or land on different websites.
Adware can be very annoying, and in the past few years much of adware’s functional characteristics have begun to resemble spyware. A large percentage of adware today includes code that tells the advertiser something about you. It often relays information about which sites you visit on the internet, how much time you spend on each site, and what type of content you viewed. Although marketing people consider this information to be harmless to you, most users consider this type of data gathering to be an invasion of privacy. Adware that is delivered in the form of email often tells marketers when you opened the mail, how long you looked at it, and what you did with it.
Spyware is similar to adware, but much more dangerous. Instead of transmitting information about your web behavior to marketers, spyware is designed to steal confidential information such as account numbers, names, addresses, etc As adware continues to evolve into a more sophisticated marketing tool, much of it is now capable of gathering “non-marketing” information that is more sensitive in nature. This new type of hybrid adware is sometimes referred to as “adware-spyware”.
Adware is normally included in downloaded software known as “freeware”. In exchange for using free software, you agree to the installation of adware. Most free software includes a statement about the included adware in a license agreement that usually goes unread. Other adware comes in the form of email, with code hidden in embedded graphics or even in the HTML code. If you forward an adware email to someone, they can get it too. Like spyware, adware installs very quickly, often without the users knowledge. Adware is not a virus, so antivirus software will never detect it.
If your computer is suddenly running very slowly, is plagued with pop-up ads, or if your browser home page has changed, chances are you have adware on your computer. If you have adware you probably have spyware too, as they both tend to go hand in hand.
Adware and spyware can sometimes be difficult to remove, and it’s best to use adware removal software. Because the two are so closely related, most good spyware removers will find and kill adware too. Since new adware and spyware is introduced into the internet every day, you may have to try several adware removers before you find one that will detect and destroy all the adware on your computer. Many free adware removers are available, but it’s best to get a paid version of this software that will protect you from future problems.
Due to the danger and prevalence of adware and spyware on the internet today, it is now considered a standard practice to use anti-spyware/anti-adware software. For the best anti-adware software, consider McAfee AntiSpyware, Spyware Doctor, Sunbelt Counter Spy, Adaware, Webroot Spy Sweeper, or eTrust Pest Patrol.
To learn more about internet security risks and what you can do about them, visit http://www.antivirus-firewall-spyware.com Or visit my Adware page directly: Adware.
Blog: Computer Security for Everyone
Tags: adaware, adware, adware remover, anti adware, anti spyware, mcafee, spyware, spyware removerSunbelt CounterSpy - Anti Spyware Software Review
Due to the growing number of security incidents involving spyware on the internet today, it is now considered to be “common practice” to use anti-spyware/anti-adware software on every computer that connects to the world wide web. Spyware and adware usually installs without notice just by browsing to an unscrupulous website, using file-sharing programs or by downloading freeware. Since it is not a virus, most spyware cannot be detected by anti-virus software. Spyware can be extremely dangerous because it collects personal information about you and transmits it to the person who created it. The information collected can be as benign as the type of websites you visit, or as dangerous as sensitive personal information like passwords, account numbers or names/addresses. Adware normally collects information relating to your internet browsing habits, and spyware usually steals sensitive information. Spyware is often used to steal bank account information, credit card numbers or a person’s whole identity. If you have spent any time surfing the internet at all, chances are your computer is infected with adware and/or spyware.
In an effort to decide which anti-spyware product to buy, I decided to take Sunbelt Software’s Counter Spy for a free 14 day trial run. In order to really put this software to the test, I installed it on my work computer which is protected by an expensive Cisco firewall, Mcafee Antivirus (updated daily), and regular Windows updates. I do very little web-surfing at work and never download anything except technical software such as antivirus, spyware removers, firewall software, etc
Following my own advice never to download software from anywhere other than the manufacturer’s “official” website, I visited Sunbelt Software’s site in order to download the free trial of their highly recommended spyware remover software - CounterSpy.
The CounterSpy setup process is a super easy Wizard interface that requires simple “yes” or “no” answers. As soon as the quick installation is finished, the CounterSpy update service downloaded the latest spyware definitions and checked for software updates. Following installation, CounterSpy prompts you to scan your system for spyware. This process took about 20 minutes on my computer.
To my surprise, Counter Spy found one instance of spyware and 74 instances of adware on my computer. It provided me a very detailed list including the name of the suspicious item as well as a good explanation of the problem. You can drill down deeper by clicking on a “+” sign that appears next to each spyware item, and see all of the registry keys and file directories that the spyware has attached itself to. Upon examination of the spyware item found on my PC, I saw that pieces of it were attached to 60 registry keys and three directories. No wonder spyware is so hard to remove! All of the adware that CounterSpy found on my PC was in the form of cookies, and a detailed explanation is given about each one. Much of the adware was the cause of pop-up ads that I find so annoying. CounterSpy lets you choose what you want to do with all spyware and adware it finds, and the default choice is to delete it, which I did.
I have tried other anti spyware software such as Spyware Doctor, eTrust Pest Patrol, Spybot S&D, and McAfee. I found Sunbelt Counter Spy to be one of the easiest to install and configure, and it appears to use up less system resources than Spyware Doctor, which often hangs my home computer. At only $19.95 per year, with renewal rates just $9.95 per year, Sunbelt Counter Spy is the best value for the money. CounterSpy has won numerous awards by prestigious companies such as PC World, Tucows, and C Net - it is definitely an anti spyware program worth considering!
To learn more about internet security risks and what you can do about them,visit http://www.antivirus-firewall-spyware.com. Or visit my Spyware Removers page. My security blog: Computer Security for Everyone
Tags: adware, adware remover, security, spware blocker, spyware, spyware remover, sunbelt counter spy
