Combating Spyware
If your computer becomes infected with spyware, you may have more to worry about other than just the fact that it is annoying to you. Spyware can damage your system, causing it to become unstable. It may interfere with you using other programs. It can even cause hackers to be able to access private information on your computer including files and places you have visited on the Internet.
You do not normally know when you get spyware. One day your computer can be fine then when the spyware is downloaded on your computer, you begin noticing problems. It may even be difficult to remove once you realize you have it.
How can you protect yourself from spyware? Use caution when downloading any new programs from the Internet, especially free and shareware programs. While some are honorable, a large amount contains spyware. Some programs even tell you in the fine print of the user agreement that they have spyware embedded in them, so always read that closely. Even if a program says it is spyware free, be leery. The music download program Kazaa has been saying it is spyware free for years, yet many people have downloaded it only to become infected with spyware.
What are some of the signs that you have spyware on your system? You may notice a large number of pop-ups on your computer whether you are browsing the Internet or not. Your browser homepage may be hijacked – that is changed from the original homepage you set. Even when you reset it, it will return to the hijacked page. You may notice new toolbars on your browser window. You may notice your computer performing sluggishly or rebooting automatically.Don’t become discourage if you do get spyware on your computer – it is almost impossible to avoid. However, there are utilities that are created to remove spyware from your computer. There are free utilities such as Microsoft Defender that you can use to check your computer for spyware, although in some cases, if you pay for that same software, the removal process is a bit easier. Because new spyware is constantly being created, the utilities rely on a database to keep track of the latest spyware and adware. As the utility scans your computer, it will tell you when it finds spyware.
Some spyware makes so many changes to your system and installs so many hidden files, it is hard to remove it completely. Spyware like this often needs to be removed manually, but this should be done only by those who know exactly what they are doing. If you delete the wrong file by accident, it could cause more harm than good.
“HijackThis” is a program designed to help you remove the more difficult spyware. It lists the files which spyware may have altered in some way. While you still need to be knowledgeable about your system files while using “HijackThis,” there are HijackThis forums in which experts are willing to share their advice on how to get rid of spyware using this software.
Once your system is free of the spyware, keep it that way by installing spyware removal software. This will monitor your system to keep it protected against any suspicious activity. And remember that if you find free software online that seems too good to be true – it probably is (It might even be Rogue Spyware Removal Software). Just avoid it to avoid potential spyware headaches in the future.