Eliminating Malware and Unauthorized Applications
In this Internet age, one of the biggest problems computer users face is the damage that can be done to computers, and wallets, by malicious software that gets into computers via email attachments, file-sharing programs, and certain websites. This software can be called spyware, malware, a virus, or several other names, depending on what it does.

Spyware, which secretly tracks your computer activity, can be particularly malicious, because at first you may not notice anything wrong, but then you find that your browser’s home page is changed, bookmarks are added, and so on. Even if nothing serious happens, you have lost your privacy. This article discusses ways to eliminate spyware from your computer. First, you may want to consider getting an Apple computer. Most spyware is designed to work on Windows computers, so with an Apple computer the chances of infection are much less. On the other hand, you may want to consider dedicating one computer to Internet use only, while using another one for everything else. Nevertheless, both of these approaches do not completely solve the problem and restrict what you can do.

The best two ways to eliminate spyware are, one, to reduce your chances of infection in the first place by changing the way you use the Internet, and two, by using programs designed to identify and eliminate it. The first way involves doing things like having what are called cookies turned off on your web browser most of the time, never opening spam email or unidentified attachments, not using file-sharing software, and not using free software that requires you to look at ads.

For the second way, you need to use the programs that are truly effective. There are a lot to choose from, and a high price does not necessarily mean a program is more effective. The programs that will eliminate spyware most effectively is SpyBot Search and Destroy by PepiMK Software. This program is free! Another very good on is Ad-aware 6 by Lavasoft, which is also free, at least in its basic version. Meanwhile, many programs costing $30 or more, such as QuickClean 3.0, are not nearly as effective. Remember to use your spyware eliminating software at least once a month. For more information, read the article on spyware at pcmag.com.

Are You Infested with Spyware?

Spyware is secret software that can come with many seemingly harmless software downloads, including internet browser toolbars, file sharing networks, or desktop background or screensaver software. Spyware monitors all of your behavior on your computer, both online and offline, including the websites you visit, the emails you send, and any passwords you might type in.

Obviously, spyware is a huge invasion of your privacy installed without your permission, and it also can compromise your security by sending out confidential information not properly encrypted, so that other malicious software could potentially hack into your online accounts or get your credit card numbers or social security number.

Unfortunately, spyware is often programmed by very bright computer experts who know how to fool 95% of the population into thinking they either have harmless software on their computer, or no software at all. However, there are some warning signs that you’ve been infected common among most varieties of spyware. Here’s what they are.

One common sign of spyware is your internet browsing experience changes significantly. You may be redirected to other websites when you open your browser window, or you may see a screen of ads that you’ve never seen before. You may get warning messages saying your computer is infected and you need to download certain software to fix the problem, but this software may simply be more spyware and make the problem worse.

Your other programs might not work at all anymore, or you might see a different screen or some advertisements before or instead of the application running.  Popups may appear even when you don’t have a web page open.

Of course, spyware infections get more sophisticated all the time, so you may simply be seeing more advertisements than usual, but not an extremely high amount. Usually, however, if you are seeing any ads you aren’t used to noticing, there is at least one application hiding in the background and monitoring every move you make.

For that matter, anything strange at all that happens on your computer should be noted and investigated. Your safety as a computer and an internet user depends on it, and it’s critical to look to see if you need to eliminate spyware from time to time.