What is spyware and why should you care?
Spyware is computer software that is installed without your knowledge on your computer to intercept your personal information or take partial control over your interaction with the computer, without your consent.
When you hear spyware you might think of software that secretly monitors your behavior, the truth of spyware is that it extends well beyond simple monitoring.
Spyware programs can collect various types of personal information, internet surfing habits, sites that you visit, and can even interfere with your control of the computer, in ways such as installing software, redirecting your web browser, accessing websites that can cause even more harmful viruses, or diverting advertising revenue to a third party.
Spyware can even change your computer's settings, resulting in a slower internet connection, changing your home page, even the losing some of your programs.
Spyware usually gets on a system by deceiving the user or through exploiting vulnerabilities in the software. Spyware rarely spreads in the manner that a computer virus or worm does. Usually, an infected system does not attempt to transmit the infection to other computers.
The majority of spyware is installed without your knowledge. So it usually gets on your computer by piggybacking software that you want or by tricking you so that you install it without knowing.
When you download a program and install it, the installer additionally installs the spyware. Although the desirable software itself may do no harm, the bundled spyware does.
Sometimes spyware authors can infect a system through security holes in your web browser or other software.
Since the emergence of spyware, an anti-spyware industry has sprung up to create and maintain anti-spyware software. Running anti-spyware software has become a widely recognized element of computer security practices for all computer users.
Here are some popular anti-spyware programs:
Ad-Aware
Alert Spy
OptOut
Pest Bot
Spyware Doctor
Anti-spyware programs can combat spyware in two ways:
1. By providing real time protection against the installation of spyware software on your computer. This type of spyware scans all incoming network data for spyware software and blocks any threats it may see.
2. Anti-spyware software programs can detect and remove spyware software that has already been installed onto your computer. This type of spyware protection is generally easy to use. You can schedule weekly, daily, or monthly scans of your computer to detect and remove any spyware software that has been installed. This type of anti-spyware software usually provides a list of any threats found, so you can choose what you want to get rid of and what you want to stay.
Fake anti-spyware programs
Malicious programmers have released a large number of fake anti-spyware programs, and run ads warning you that your computer has been infected with spyware, and then telling you to purchase programs which do not actually remove spyware but sometimes add even more spyware to your computer.
Other than installing anti-spyware here are a few things you can do to protect your computer.
Install a web browser other than Internet Explore, such as Opera or Mozilla Firefox. Though no one browser is best, Internet Explorer has a great risk for spyware infection because of its large user base and security holes in the programming.
Use network firewalls and web proxies to block access to web sites known to install spyware
Download programs only from reputable sources can also provide some protection from this source of attack.
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