Are Parasites Affecting Your Computer? by Debbie Sue

2008-10-28T16:32:00.000-07:00

Anyone who uses a computer with an Internet connection has to be very cautious when downloading programs from the Internet and email due to the threat of viruses and worms. These harmful program codes and programs can cause your computer to become unstable and it can also infect other systems which are connected to yours.

This is why any sensible computer user has got to have anti virus programs installed on their computer for protection against attacks from viruses which proliferate the Internet. The good thing about viruses and worms is that it is easier to spot them trying to get into your system. For instance, they can try and enter your system through a suspicious attachment usually from an unknown source. By now must Internet users know not to open any suspicious attachments. Also good anti-virus programs can scan attachments before you can open them so that your risk against viruses are managed properly.

However, as an Internet user, there is more to worry about than viruses and worms. Unfortunately, anti virus programs are not designed to detect other types of threats and if you are not careful, you may unknowingly install adware and spyware into your system. Once this happens, getting rid of these programs can be very difficult. For one thing, most spyware can go undetected in your system. You will continue to use your computer and Internet without even realizing that your privacy is immensely violated and your security is at risk.

Since spyware can go undetected and you can continue to use your computer and the Internet as usual, we have a tendency to believe we do not have to worry about uninstalling spyware. But that is further from the truth.

Spyware can infringe mildly on our privacy because it can track and take notes of your usage patterns and this information is then reported back to the company which created the spyware so that they can build marketing profiles. More than that though, some spyware actually have the ability to register and take note of key strokes, scan documents within your computer's hard drive, and can steel your passwords and other sensitive information that can make you the victim of identity theft and other situations where your person information could be used to compromise your security.

However, Adware is also used by companies to infect your computer with unsolicited ads. The most harmful kinds are the ones that indiscriminately pop ads on to your screen even if you are not viewing their site or even using the parent program that launched the adware. In some cases adware continues to work within your system long after you have uninstalled the program it came bundled with.

Given the security risks, the invasion of your privacy, and the annoying effects of spyware and adware to your computer, you will be wise to uninstall these programs from your computer. However, to uninstall adware and spyware from your computer is not a simple task.
For one thing, companies that proliferate the Internet with spyware and adware go to great lengths to ensure that uninstalling them from your system is difficult. For instance, a lot of times, you will be unable to use legitimate software if you attempt to uninstall the adware or spyware it comes bundled with. Adware and spyware are usually bundled with legitimate freeware or shareware and cannot be run independently of each other.

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Beware - Even Your Favorite Downloads Can Contain Adware and Spyware

2008-10-28T16:11:00.000-07:00

The Internet as we all know is a marvelous tool. It is truly amazing, we can buy just about anything, research anything and communicate across the world. The Internet is so popular that just about everyone around the world has access to an Internet connection.

Unfortunately, there are always those unscrupulous groups who take advantage of a good thing. You have groups who have come up with free spyware and adware programs to take advantage of the connectivity of the Internet. Spyware is also known as computer software that comes bundled with some programs which are downloadable from the Internet and it watches what you do on your computer. To some, it may seem that the idea of spying on some one's computer is not possible, but unfortunately spyware is real and is out there.

The whole purpose of spyware is to secretly track your personal information. Spyware uses techniques like tracking Internet browsing patterns, logging keystrokes, and some spyware can scan documents from your computer's hard drive. Spyware is used on the Internet to enable unsolicited pop ups and is also used to be able to commit criminal acts such as identity fraud by stealing passwords or vital credit information.

Spyware is a very difficult and dangerous program. It runs undetected within your system tracking your activities without your knowledge. It also causes a slow down in your computer's performance.

Free spyware and adware programs often come bundled along with freeware and downloads which you install on to your computer. There are also some unsolicited pop-ups that you may come across while browsing that appear to be regular windows system generated pop-ups and clicking on these will cause you to unknowingly install unwanted spyware.

Just being on the Internet and browsing makes you susceptible to spyware. There are some precautions you can take to ensure safer web usage. For example, you should install legitimate anti-spyware programs to detect, get rid of, and prevent future installations of spyware onto your system. Do not be too trusting of the anti-spyware downloads, as some of them are trying to trick you into installing free spyware and adware programs without your knowledge.

You should always be very careful when you download any free programs from the Internet. Some free versions of programs contain spyware so make sure you read the agreements section before agreeing to download anything.

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Beware of Adware and Spyware

Are Parasites Affecting Your Computer? by Debbie Sue

Beware - Even Your Favorite Downloads Can Contain Adware and Spyware