Why is my computer so slow, how did my homepage get changed, what is up with all these pop-up ads? If you are asking these questions you may have adware or spyware on your computer. Learn what it is and how to get rid of it.
What adware and spyware is and what it does:
Adware and spyware are small software programs that are downloaded, often with out your knowledge, to your computer. These small programs are often hidden inside free programs that can be downloaded from the Internet.
Most commonly they are hidden inside search engine tool bars, free stock tickers, weather trackers, smiley face programs, and in downloadable MP3s, movies, or music videos. Adware and spyware is not limited to these programs however, and can be hidden with in even seemingly legitimate software program downloads.
The purpose of adware and spyware is to track your activity on the Internet in order to display advertisements that will appeal to you. These advertisements are often in the form of those very annoying and increasingly intrusive pop-up ads. The adware and spyware programs will record the types of content and web pages that you are looking at on the Internet and send the data back to the owner of the adware and spyware. This person or persons in turn use the information to classify you and target advertisements toward your interests.
Some adware and spyware will go so far as to change your home page in your web browser. In other words, if when you log on to the Internet you usually see Google or MSN, you may instead see a different website. Most of the time these replacement homepages are adult content related advertising websites. Websites such as these make their money by being paid per click. In other words how much they get paid is based on how many times an advertisement on their web page is clicked on by a web user. These websites will sometimes create so many pop-up advertisements that it become virtually impossible to use your web browser.
There are also more sinister adware and spyware programs that record your key stokes on your computer. This type of adware and spyware program can lead to major privacy concerns. These programs can be used to record data that you may using to access confidential information, such as bank accounts. By recording your key stokes the adware and spyware programs can record your user names, passwords, and even credit card numbers.
Why you need to remove adware and spyware:
Adware and spyware mainly run on your computer with out your knowledge so it is sometimes hard to know if you have an adware or spyware program running on your computer until it causes a problem.
Some of the common problems caused by adware and spyware are reduced performance of your computer, random pop-up advertisements, the addition of new tool bars in your web browser, and (as mentioned above) a change in your current homepage.
When problems such as these show up on a computer, the first thing that an IT Professional thinks of is adware and spyware, which is the most common cause of these issues. Unfortunately, the issues caused by adware and spyware can become so severe that many users will need the assistance of a qualified IT Professional in order to resolve them.
Less common but more dangerous problems cause by adware and spyware are corruption of data files, identity theft, and viruses. All of these problems can be very costly and are best avoided. These less common, but much more dangerous, adware and spyware programs are the main reason that prevention is so important.
How to remove and prevent adware and spyware:
There are many software programs available to remove adware and spyware on the market. There are also several programs that can be downloaded for free from the Internet. These programs are generally easy to both install and run. They work in the same way that anti-virus programs work.
As you might expect, the best products on the market are the programs that must be purchased. There are also free programs available that are very affective. Many people prefer to download and use a free product in addition to using their purchased software product. This can be thought of as a sort of safety net. Also, the free adware and spyware removal tools usually come with free updates for the life of the product. This can be a big plus as, much like virus programs, adware and spyware programmers are constantly releasing new versions of their products in an attempt to get around removal software tools.
Most adware and spyware removal software programs will have an option to download the latest updates directly from the manufacturers website, in the same way that virus programs do. These programs will also scan your computer for adware and spyware the same way that anti-virus programs scan for viruses.
The adware and spyware removal software programs will not however replace your anti-virus software. Viruses are a separate issue from adware and spyware and you will still need to protect your computer and your data from them with your anti-virus software program.
The number one rated adware and spyware removal software program on the market today (as rated by AdwareReport.com) is Aluria Software’s Spyware Eliminator, which sells on the company’s website for about $30 (www.aluriasoftware.com). There is also PC Tool’s Spyware Doctor, which also sells on the company’s website for about $30 (www.pctools.com). If you prefer a free solution or would like a secondary program, you can try Laval Soft’s Ad-Aware SE (www.lavasoftusa.com). Ad-Aware can be downloaded at no cost from the Lava Soft website.
It is recommended that you run an adware and spyware scan on your computer periodically, even if you are not experiencing any problems. Also, you should always be sure to update your adware and spyware removal software program or programs before every scan. This will help to ensure that you are checking for all the newest threats as well as the older ones.
No software program can guarantee that you will no longer see pop-up advertisements or that your computer will no longer become infected with adware and spyware. These software programs can only assist you in your fight against the adware and spyware that attempts to invade your online privacy. The bottom line is that it is up to you to use discretion when deciding whether or not to download that new free smiley face program or other favorite hiding places for adware and spyware programs.
External Links:
Adware Report - Website that compares adware and spyware removal programs