Spyware 101
What is Spyware?
Spyware is computer software that collects personal information
about you without your informed consent.
Spyware programs can do things like:
- Monitor your Web browsing
- Change your browser's home page & install toolbars
- Record your keystrokes
- Take screen shots
Spyware programs range from annoying to dangerous. (For example,
spyware is commonly used to report your Web browsing activity back
to third-party sites for advertising purposes, but it can also be
used to steal passwords and credit card numbers.)
In addition, spyware can make your system unstable and cause
other problems, such as:
- Causing more pop-up ads to appear than usual
- Making your computer run slower than usual
- Preventing you from opening Web pages
How Does Spyware Get on Your
Computer?
There are a number of ways that spyware can get on your computer.
For example:
- Spyware oftentimes comes bundled with free programs that you
can download from the Internet. If you install a program that
comes with spyware, then you may install the spyware without
even knowing it.
- Spyware can install automatically if your Windows operating
system is not up-to-date.
- Spyware can install automatically if you click on buttons or
links in some pop-up windows.
Symptoms of Spyware
Your computer may be infected with spyware if it exhibits any of
the following symptoms:
- Your computer crashes a lot or reboots often.
- Your computer runs a lot slower than normal.
- Your computer runs out of Windows resources.
- Your Internet access is a lot slower than normal.
- You can’t do any Web browsing.
- Your Web browser’s home page changes automatically.
- You see toolbars on your browser that you did not install.
- There are more pop-up ads than usual.
How to Protect Your Computer from Spyware
The best defense against spyware is to use multiple anti-spyware
programs and to scan your computer regularly for spyware. (While
it's not okay to use more than one anti-virus program on your
computer, it's perfectly fine to use more than one anti-spyware
program as long as you don't run multiple spyware scans at the same
time.)
Anti-spyware programs can prevent the installation of spyware,
and they can detect and remove spyware from an infected computer.
Like anti-virus programs, anti-spyware programs need up-to-date
definition files in order to be effective. (A definition file is a
database of known spyware programs that your anti-spyware software
uses when it examines your computer. As new spyware programs are
discovered, spyware definition files are updated by the software
providers, and this happens frequently.)
If you do not have anti-spyware software, then we recommend that you
download and install the following free programs:
Note: Run each program's scan separately. Do not run both
scans at the same time.
Tips for Avoiding Spyware
Tips for avoiding spyware include:
- Keep your Windows operating system up-to-date.
- Use up-to-date anti-spyware programs and scan your computer
weekly for spyware.
- Educate yourself about a software program before you download
it. (For example, conduct a Google search on the program to see
if any other programs come bundled with it.)
- Before you install a program, read the licensing agreement or
Read Me files. (The licensing agreement or Read Me files may
contain information about other programs that come bundled with
the software.)
- Disable third-party browser extensions in Internet Explorer.
(For directions, see
Turn Off Third-Party Browser Extensions in Internet Explorer.)
- Never click on buttons inside pop-up windows. (Always close
pop-up ads by clicking on the X button in the upper-right corner
of the window or by right-clicking on their taskbar buttons and
selecting Close.)
How to Scan Your Computer for Spyware
If you think that your computer may be infected with spyware,
then follow this procedure to help make sure that you remove all of
it.
- Make sure that your spyware definition files are up-to-date.
(If your spyware definition files are not up-to-date, then your
anti-spyware software MAY NOT be able to detect new spyware
programs.)
- Physically disconnect the computer from your Internet service
(e.g., unplug the data cable from the network port).
- If you have Windows XP, then turn off System Restore. (For
directions, see
Turn
System Restore Off or On.)
- Perform a full system scan with one anti-spyware program. (Do
not perform more than one program's scan at a time.
- Remove any spyware threats that are found and reboot the
computer.
- Perform another scan using the same anti-spyware program.
- Keep rebooting and rescanning until no spyware threats are
found.
- Perform a full system scan with another anti-spyware program
and keep rebooting and rescanning until no spyware threats are
found.
- Turn on System Restore.
- Reconnect the computer to your Internet service (e.g., plug
the data cable back in to the network port).
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