Delete spyware - an introduction to spyware and adware
If you have been around on the internet for a while, you have probably heard about spyware and adware before. These are two different types of programs, but they definitely have one thing in common - they can both end up wasting your time and making it hard to use your computer. In addition, both programs are made by unethical companies with the main purpose of making profit, at the expense of your being an annoyance and taking up your computers processing power.
That said, there are a few fundamental differences between spyware and adware. In order to prevent your machine from getting infected, it is worth having a basic understanding of what these programs can do.
Definition of spyware:
Spyware is a malicious program that is almost always installed without you knowing about it. It runs in the background, silently taking up your computers processing power and hiding in places like the registry. Software like this is designed to "spy" on you, mostly by collecting personal information (often through keyloggers which record your passwords for bank accounts and send them back to another person) and tinkering with personal settings.
Definition of adware:
Adware is a similar kind of program, but with an important distinction: rather than collection personal information, it has the intent to display advertisements more than anything else (this is where the name comes from). Software like this will still try to remain undetected, but it will be more obvious that you have it, because you'll tend to be bombarded with things like pop-up ads once you have it. Companies who make software like this have one main goal, and that is to make money off each computer they infect and display advertisements ti.
If you suspect you are infected with malicious software, you are definitely not alone. Sources vary, but with the rise of programs like this since 1998, it is estimated that a whopping 90% of computers connected to the internet are infected with some kind of spyware. What's also interesting is that many people infected do not even realize that they have damaging software like this on their machine, because it runs in the background and try's to avoid detection.
What should you do if you suspect you are infected? Well, the first thing you should do is get a good spyware cleaner software. There are a number of good programs that you can download free, that can run an extensive scan to see if you are infected. Then, the anti-virus software will try to delete spyware found. No matter what you are doing on the internet, it is important to get protection like this.
by Brad Edwards
keyword : spyware
