Spyware and your computer:
What you need to know

Have you noticed that there is something that is, well, different, about your computer these days? Has it been sluggish when performing tasks? Are you seeing more pop-up ads than normal lately while surfing the Internet? Perhaps you can't even load web pages that you used to visit all the time.

"Yes! That's exactly it! What is causing this?"

You've got. . .spyware!

What is spyware? Spyware is the cancer of computers. It comes in many shapes and forms, has many different affects on your computer, and, much like cancer, you are unlikely to realize that you are its victim for quite some time.

Spyware is actually a piece of software, just like the free games you may download from the Internet. As a matter of fact, when you download some games, music software, and smiley faces, you also get a free piece of spyware to go with it!

"But I didn't ask for any spyware!" Of course you didn't. Well, not really, but legally, in many cases, you may have. You asked for it by agreeing to all the terms and conditions of downloading the free software that you were really after.

"I didn't download any software from the Internet!" There's always the possibility that you didn't purposefully download anything but are still infected. Spyware is sneaky like that. You don't have to initiate a download. It will download all by itself when you view certain websites.

Most spyware is pretty unobtrusive. Largely, its activities are related to marketing. Spyware can be only slightly annoying by showing its developer's pop-up ads, or it can be downright malicious by redirecting you from a legitimate site to one that the developer has produced that looks exactly like the one that you are trying to access. It can even send its developer information about your Internet activities. Well, at least that way, when you receive unwanted pop-up ads, they'll be more targeted to your tastes. (I always need to find a silver lining!)

"This is a terrible problem! How can these, these, spyware people get away with this?" Spyware is a pervasive and costly problem. It's costly in terms of time spent in identifying and resolving the problem for those who don't know about the problem. It's such a problem that the United States government has decided to do something about it.

So what can you do about it? There is an arsenal of free spyware removal software out there, such as AdAware and Spybot Search and Destroy. Please note that we are in no way affiliated with any of these products and cannot guarantee their success and do not provide technical support for these products. Any questions about their use or affect on your computer must be directed to the manufacturer of said program.

I know that I've just spent an entire article telling you not to trust free downloads, but these ones are from good guys. They were developed by noble spirits who are just as outraged about this problem as you are and they have the programming know-how to do something about it.

However, I encourage you not to trust me, or these noble spirits. Why? Because you should really research everything that you can download from the Internet that comes from an unknown provider. A quick search of the item you wish to download will take, at most 10 seconds and save you, at the very least, a migraine if your computer gets infected. Just go to your favorite search engine and type in the name of the thing that you wish to download. Even the things that seem the most harmless can be hazardous to your computer's health. And you don't want to hurt your faithful Internet companion, do you?

"Yay! I used spyware removal software and now the problem is gone!" Or is it? There is a 98% chance you are rid of the spyware. However, there is a small possibility that you still are infected. Why? Because there are some really nasty pieces of spyware out there that will affect the registry settings on your Windows® computer. This can wreck all sorts of havoc on your computer, like changing your start page every time you surf the Internet, even if you've manually changed the start page to something of your choosing. If you've gotten a particularly nasty piece of spyware for which the spyware removal programs won't work permanently, I highly recommend you visit http://www.spywareinfo.com/ where you will be able to search forums and get some much needed relief from your spyware problem. Please note that we are in no way affiliated with this site and cannot guarantee the validity of the advice given on its forums. Any questions about the advice you receive or its affect on your computer must be directed to the owner of the website.

Whew! That's a lot to think about, I know. Here are some final thoughts on the subject.

1. Think about the places you visit on the Internet everyday. Are they sites sponsored by well-known organizations? Do you always get pop-up ads when you visit those sites? Are they a site that only offers "free" things to download? Be smart about where you go to avoid sites that offer promises that are too good to be true.
2. Research any software downloads. You'll find out from a quick search whether or not to continue with the download. Sometimes the download is such an egregious offender that you won't have to even go to any websites. You'll get the gist by reading the titles and page descriptions on the search engine results page!
3. You have to be vigilant about protecting your computer. Spyware removal programs aren't guaranteed to protect against future infections by spyware. They are for removing what is already on your computer. If you have a continual problem, you may need to buy a program that has preventative features. You will also need to keep your spyware removal programs updated, so be sure to check at least once a week for updates to the program. Spyware is constantly getting smarter to avoid detection and removal so spyware removal programs need to constantly be updated to protect against these newer, smarter pieces of software.

So, T.R.Y every time you surf the Internet. Good luck and safe surfing!