Spyware And How To Protect Your Computer From Them!

By Reima Petramaa

If your computer has been overrun by viruses time and again, in spite of you having a good antivirus, then you definitely need the right kind of spyware. The increasingly sophisticated viruses out there on the internet makes it a must for all users of the internet to be equipped with the latest tools and spyware to protect themselves from the onslaught of all the different kinds of malware lurking around in every corner of the internet these days.

Spyware - What It Is

Did you know that, more often than not every one of your movements is being watched? Yep, that's right. If you visit a particular cookery site on the internet, you're going to find a barrage of emails related to cookbooks and other cookery sites in your inbox the very next day. How does this happen? Your operating system has definitely got some form of spyware on it! In fact, that's the very function of spyware is to spy on your movements.

So what exactly is this "spyware" that I am talking about? These are basically computer programs which attach themselves to your downloads off the net, and once they are in your operating system, they are designed to track all of your movements online. The worst part is, these programs are designed so as to report your activity on the internet to the person who launched them in the first place.

So what does a spyware launcher gain? Simple, he conveys the information to advertisers and web developers who then promptly settle down on the busy task of sending you as many advertisements as possible Armed with this information, advertisers, web developers and, hold your breath for this one, governments - can send data to your computer without your consent and that, as we all know, has many dangerous implications.

Precautionary Measures

So how do you avoid spyware? You need to take adequate precautions to make sure that your computer is spyware free. In fact, if you can manage to prevent spyware, you can also manage to prevent adware ( which is another form of freeware, just like spyware) from damaging the security levels of your computer.

The most basic precautionary measure is to disable the auto-installation feature which is generally on active mode on your internet browsers. To reinforce this line of defence activate pop up blockers and firewalls as well.

Then, you can use any of the following antivirus programs to protect your computer.

* McAfee
* Norton
* Spyware Doctor
* Counterspy Antispyware

So, if you are looking to protect your computer from malicious attacks and a whole host of viruses, then you should get one of the above programs or any other reliable antivirus programs as soon as possible, to ensure that minimum damage is caused to your computer and to gain peace of mind!

About the Author:

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