Among the many issues a computer user can come across in his daily activity, there is a certain type of privacy and security problem that most of us aren't even aware of. Its name is adware.
Also known as advertising-supported software, adware is a software that displays or downloads advertising material after the software has been installed or while the application is running. Certain types of adware are also spyware. This refers to software that is installed on your computer without your consent. Generally, it monitors your computer use and Internet surfing, it can redirect your computer to certain websites and can even record your keystrokes, activity which ultimately leads to identity theft.
The growing issue of spyware can give headaches even to the most experienced computer savy. It is critical for Web users to learn how to detect if spyware has been installed on their computers, if so, how to remove adware or, if this is not the case, how to protect their computers from it.
Certain clues can alert a Web user if his computer has been infected. You should take action to remove adware if you detect a barrage of pop-up ads, if your browser takes you to other sites than those you typed into your address box, if you experience a sudden change in your computer's Internet home page, if new toolbars appear or if you receive random error messages.
A good way to protect your computer from spyware is scanning it on a regular basis. If the scanner detects malfunctions, allow it to remove adware in order to solve your computer's security issues. The next step is to reboot the PC after which you should scan it again before reconnecting to the Internet.
It is possible to get infected again after you remove adware. This is often the case because the program creator is possible to have configured another process which downloads and installs the adware program again. Should you find yourself in this situation, it is advisable to use a personal firewall that identifies adware processes over a period of several weeks. After that, it will help you remove adware and restore your computer. Keep the personal firewall active for at least two more weeks in order to make sure the adware won't be re-activated. If problems persist, contact a computer specialist to remove adware from your computer and solve this serious security issue.
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