SpyWare and Your Home Computer

If your home computer seems to be running slower, you're seeing pop-up windows you didn't invite and you can no longer access web sites that you previously could browse, here's a prescription for your sick computer.

• Be sure you have a firewall installed (Windows XP Service Pack 2 includes a built-in firewall).
• Be sure you are running anti-virus software with the most up-to-date virus definitions available.
• Be sure you are running adware/spyware protection.
  

One option is Ad-aware SE Personal (free) which is designed to provide "protection from known Data-mining, aggressive advertising, Parasites, Scumware, selected traditional Trojans, Dialers, Malware, Browser hijackers, and tracking components."

To locate, go to http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/ and click on the "Download Ad-aware here" button on the right.

Or you can find the software on http://www.download.com/ at http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=button

Ad-aware is one of the first applications built to find and remove adware and spyware. It has the ability to scan your RAM, registry, hard drives, and external storage devices for known data-mining, advertising, and tracking components. This application cleans your system and provides a higher degree of privacy (and more efficient computing) while you surf the Web.
Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition can also scan for known and unknown/possible browser hijackers.

NOTE: Ad-aware is NOT free for commercial or business purposes.

Mini-definitions - Spyware, Adware, and Browser-Hijacking

Language can clarify or confuse. If you don't know the terminology, you're at a disadvantage. Over the past couple of years, there's been a lot of discussion of unwanted, intrusive software. Three terms commonly used are spyware, adware, and browser-hijacking software. Do you know the difference?

Here are mini-definitions of these three aggressive types of software.

• Adware displays (typically) pop-up ads while you're online. The software tracks and reports your Internet habits ostensibly to tailor ads to your personal needs based on your Internet browsing.
• Spyware reports information to a third party about your computer system without your knowledge.
• Browser-hijacking software literally hijacks your computer, slows down your Internet connection (because it is using the bandwidth and your computer's processing for its own purposes), redirects you to advertisers or specific web sites, and changes your browser settings, without your permission or knowledge.

Programs like Symantec Anti-virus, Ad-Aware, Spybot, and Spy Sweeper are designed to try to protect your system from these types of threats.