Internet Security ABC - Telling Characteristics of a Computer in the Throes of Spyware

Telling Characteristics of a Computer in the Throes of Spyware

Is your computer in the throes of spyware? Does your machine suffer from an infestation of these insidious pieces of software that will make your life miserable? Is there a surefire way to tell?

Spyware is a kind of software that is used for the specific purpose of ferreting out information that is located in the files of your computer. Usually a piece of spyware can be picked up on the Internet without your knowing about it. Novice computer users frequently confuse spyware with adware, and while there is some correlation, these two kinds of software are not identical. While adware is also picked up on the Internet and is most certainly not considered a desirable addition to the programs you

are running, its express function is to display advertising on your system. This may take the form of pop-ups or pop-unders and instead of being dangerous it is much more annoying. Spyware, on the other hand, seeks to collect data so that third parties will be able to use it for their own sinister purposes.

Some of the information is used for commercial purposes, such as your web browsing habits to find out which sites you visit and then set you up to be bombarded with targeted ads. Other times hackers will employ spyware to engage in keystroke logging which then in turn will be used to find out the log in information you use to access your bank account. Once this information is available to them, they will be able to gain access to your account themselves.

Yet how can a computer user know if their system is infected?

Probably the easiest way to tell is by purchasing good anti-spyware software. When you run a sweep of your system, the software will detect the tell-tale signs of spyware, even if it is masquerading as the kind of program you want to run on your system; at that time you will be able to isolate the offending programs and later on delete them.

A spyware blocker will alert you as soon as it suspects that spyware is attempting to download itself onto your system. In case of a doubt, do not download anything that may trigger your spyware blocker.

If you suddenly see a lot of Windows dialog boxes pop up that prompt you to download a piece of software, accelerate your browser, or optimize your Internet access, you might be infected with spyware. These dialog boxes are actually spyware in disguise, and it does not really matter what you click, since a download will be triggered. Spyware blockers will help you prevent such surreptitious downloads.

You may notice that the speed of your machine slows down considerably. This is directly attributable to the additional programs it is now running. Your computer may stall, require frequent reboots, or will not permit you to have a large number of windows open at one time.

Advertising pop-ups may suddenly be displayed whenever you open a new window, upon turning on the machine, or simply every few minutes while you are using the machine. Adware blockers may not be able to located any kind of specific adware simply because it is bundled with the spyware rather than being a stand alone adware program that can be detected and eliminated independently from the spyware.

As you can see, spyware is collection of insidious pieces of data that are loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and which are hard to get rid of. An ounce of prevention is usually preferable to a pound of cure, and your anti-spyware software will be the best investment you can make.

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