Spyware and adware– software that is installed on your computer without your knowledge, for the purpose of tracking your browsing, opening pop-up ads, or stealing your passwords or credit card numbers – is a growing problem for all Internet users. Before looking at how to remove spyware and adware, it’s worth trying to understand what they really are and why they’re dangerous.
First of all, some definitions will help. It is Spyware that is the real problem. Adware is usually benign. Adware is just another way of defining software: you may have heard of Freeware (totally free software) and Shareware (software you can use and pay for later if you like). Adware is simply software with another way to recoup development cost: it displays ads while you use it. Some versions of the Eudora email program are adware: ads are displayed in a column to the left while you read your email. Adware does not usually hide itself, although its ads can be annoying.
Spyware, on the other hand, is software that is designed to steal information from you, without your explicit permission, or to hijack your web browser. It usually enters your computer through a back door: you download a piece of free software such as a toolbar or browser utility, click the ‘Accept’ button to install it, agree to the terms and conditions of use (which no tt read) and the spyware is installed invisibly, in addition to the program you really wanted. Another very common source of infection is peer-to-peer software, which you can use to download free music or videos. Often the very purpose for which ‘free’ software is distributed is simply to spread associated spyware onto the machines of unsuspecting users. Or you can get spyware by innocently following a link to a malicious web page and then deliberately closing an annoying pop-up by clicking a button, which then installs a spyware script without your knowledge.
From then on, you have problems. The spyware will track your browsing habits and display pop-up ads in excessive numbers. Sometimes these popups will be explicit advertisements for porn sites. Spyware can change your browser’s home page settings. It can overwrite legitimate ads or links on the sites you visit. Or it may simply be waiting until you log in to your bank or make an online credit card purchase, to record your details and forward them to spyware authors. Your modem can work furiously, even when you’re not doing anything online.
Spyware is parasitic: it will use up your computer’s resources, slowing it down, slowing down your browsing speed by creating its own web traffic, and leaving you open to exploitation and theft.
Often, if your computer has been in use for more than a few months and is connected to the Internet, it will have multiple spyware programs installed invisibly, all combining to degrade your computer’s performance. In fact, most people only realize they have a problem when their computer is getting slower and slower at all tasks, particularly when online. Some users have been known to give up and simply buy a new computer as a desperate solution. But soon, the cycle of infection will start again.
So how do you remove spyware and adware? If you regularly update your operating system with the latest security patches, you reduce the chance of being infected in the first place. One of the main reasons Microsoft issues patches so frequently is to protect users from vulnerabilities by spyware authors, who have found ways to use the tight integration of the Microsoft browser and the Windows operating system to allow the automatic installation or “drive by”.
Another way to limit the effect of spyware is to switch from the most vulnerable and exploited browser, Internet Explorer, to another browser such as Mozilla Firefox.
Sometimes, if the spyware infection is extreme, it is recommended that you backup all your files and reinstall your operating system from scratch using the original CDs, although this may be too risky or technically challenging for most users. of computers.
Another, and probably the easiest way to get rid of spyware and adware is to install special software. This usually deals with spyware in two ways. First, it scans your computer and detects any spyware your computer is infected with, giving you the option to remove it; it then runs in the background and prevents any new spyware from being installed. It will warn you of any suspicious programs or scripts that are trying to get installed. To be effective, this special software must be regularly updated so that it has information about the latest spyware threats.
This type of ‘anti-spyware’ protection is now essential for all computers connected to the Internet. If you don’t already have an anti-spyware program, it’s time to get one. Most providers will offer you a free scan so you can immediately see if there is spyware on your computer. Since the scan is free, you have nothing to lose!