What's The Best Freeware Spyware?

There is an array of companies that offer freeware spyware, but which ones are worth the time and effort to install? Here we are going to take a look at this field and discuss some of the best offerings.

Spyware is the collective term for computer programs that can install themselves on your computer without your permission and then record information about you. These programs can snoop on your movements on the Internet and even get access to sensitive information that is on your hard drive such as passwords, credit card details and bank account details.

So how do you know if your machine has been affected? You may notice that the speed at which it works is much slower. There maybe some pop ads that just keep appearing. But what is even more worrying is that infected machines often do not show any outward signs of being affected. So it is best to have your system checked for the presence of spyware even if you haven't experienced any performance problems.

Many people's action in tackling this threat is to turn to freeware spyware. There are a number of programs out there that offer the ability to scan you system for the presence of spyware and then give you the option of removing it. Here are some of the best products in this field.

Spybot - Search and Destroy. This is the 'daddy' in the free spy-ware field having been first developed in 2000 by software engineer Patrick Kolla. It has received many favorable reviews over the years and has a loyal band of users. If you run into problems or have a query, you can use their free discussion forum

AVG Anti-Spyware (Free Edition) is a product from the well-respected Grigsoft software company. This product will allow you to scan your PC for threats and then give you the option to remove them. There is also a professional version that provides the option of real-time detection. This is where spyware is detected before it even infects your machine. This solution will appeal to those who believe in 'prevention is better then cure'. There is a charge for the professional version.

Super AntiSpyware. This is a relative newcomer to the field but has already built itself a solid reputation based on its reliability to remove spyware, adware and trojans. Like the AVG product, there is an upgrade option to the Professional version that allows you to have real-time scanning.

Each of these freeware spyware products will give you a good level of protection against malicious threats. Some people even go to the trouble of installing 2 programs so that any spyware that is missed by one is picked up by the other.