This website shows you various system utilities that you can use to make your PC perform “like new” again.
How to remove Spyware?
What is Spyware?
Spyware is software or a program that secretly gathers information about your computer and then sells it off to advertisers or other people interested in this information. Spyware can range from tracking internet and software behavior that a person shows like which site does the person visit to even tracking the personal files on your computer.
How do I get infected by Spyware?
Spyware is mostly installed without you letting know of it and your computer can be infected by downloading files from unidentified sources, getting it through email and clicking on pop – ups. Most of the times one is tricked into clicking these links which infect you with spyware.
For instance a window might open that may look like a system message or a routine windows message and when you click or cancel it you get infected. So one must be very careful while clicking on these system messages. If you have it in the back of your mind that this is one way then it becomes easy for you to recognize the fake messages as you are already prepared for them.
Another common source of getting spyware is through free downloads. Most of us can’t resist freebies when we see one and so instinctively we download anything that we find free. What we do not realize is that many of this free software actually include spyware and we are inviting trouble for something that we are probably never even going to use. P2P sharing programs are one common source of getting infected.
How do I know I am infected?
Spyware in all cases will affect the performance of your system. In some cases it may even crash frequently and in other cases it just slows down and pages take longer to refresh and eventually you will reach a stage where it is so slow that you have to get your system formatted.
How do I remove Spyware?
Most importantly you should make every attempt not to get spyware as it is quite difficult to remove them. To such an extent that some anti virus software do no even consider them “viruses” as you have willingly downloaded them. But even if you have chances are that you were tricked into it.
To avoid spyware:
- Be skeptical of free-wares, toolbars at unexpected places, dialog boxes that resemble windows dialog boxes.
- Downloading and running exe files even if they have come as forwards from friends,
- Install pop up blockers like the MSN, Yahoo or Google Toolbar.
- The latest toolbar from Yahoo! comes with Anti Spy technology; you could look at using that as well.
- Use
trusted spyware programs (like Spyware Doctor) which are recognized and are free of spyware themselves!
Another example – Spybot Search and Destroy.
- Install an
anti virus software that also scans for spyware like McAfee and Norton Antivirus and keep updating your anti virus.
- You can also look at using Mozilla Firefox instead of Internet Explorer which is generally considered to be more secure while browsing the internet.
- Generally be cautious about the sites that you are visiting.
Above all, its important to keep in the back of your mind; generally spyware will infect you with your consent, and if you make a little effort of being cautious of what link you are clicking that will go a long way in keeping your computer free of spyware.