You have probably heard of spyware before, but it isn’t a term that many people know it’s meaning. We all know it’s a bad thing, but it’s important you understand what spyware is and why it has gotten such a bad rap.
Put simply, spyware refers to various programs and software that gets installed on your computer without you knowing. These programs then go on to cause “malicious” activity - some examples of this are:
1) Steal your personal data or personal information. Certain spyware programs will “spy” on what you are typing and all the information you have stored on your system.
2) Install various programs to your computer without your authorization. These programs have no use to you but usually will let someone else monitor what you are doing online. This is one of the biggest reasons computers start to “slow down”.
3) Automatically make your web browser take you to websites that have other harmful files such as viruses or other forms of spyware.
4) Sneak in and change your computer’s settings so that your computer is vulnerable to other attacks or infections.
I could make the list a lot longer, but you get the point - spyware is a pain in the ‘you know what’!
Spyware is also notorious for slowing down your computer’s performance and creating all sorts of pop-ups or annoying ads when you are online.
How exactly does you computer get infected with spyware?
It can be difficult to trace back exactly where spyware comes from, but here are some examples of how it can find its way onto your computer:
1) Many shareware and freeware software programs have Spyware built into them. Software such as music/video download programs are normally given away free, and sometimes they come bundled with Spyware.
2) A common way systems get infected is from “utility” type programs that are downloaded and come bundled with some form of spyware. There are all sorts of programs that are offered for free download on the internet - although they may serve a purpose many of them will also install spyware on your system.
3) One of the trickiest ways that spyware will make its way on your computer is by immitating your operating system’s regular messages.
If you are using MS windows, you might get a popup with a message that looks like it’s from your operating system, however when you click on it you end up installing some form of spyware.
It’s obviously important that you find out if there is spyware on your computer, but how can you find out?
Most people will start to notice their computer starts to slow down and they may also get more advertisements popup when they are browsing. Spyware is famous for making computers run a little “sluggish” - this is one of the first signs that your computer is infected.
Apart from the slowing down factor, you cannot really tell if there’s Spyware installed on your system. Many people will just assume something is wrong with the computer hardware when their system slows down, however spyware is often the cause.
If you haven’t been paying attention to spyware, you must start doing something about it starting today!
It is estimated that over 90% of computers are infected with spyware - it’s next to impossible not to pick something up if you are connected to the internet. You need to make sure you are using a quality anti-spyware program so that your computer and personal information is protected.
Look for a spyware remover that has received positive reviews and that can remove any spyware that is already on your system (along with protecting against new infections). You want a program that scans your computer for any current spyware, kills off anything it finds and then provides protection against future spyware.