Eliminating Spyware

Spyware is software, an executable file, coded as a program, cookies or registry entry which enters your system to monitor its information and sell the data to some third party. Besides information theft, spyware also consumes your computer’s memory and your internet bandwidth, slowing both of them down, fiddles with your machine’s settings and may misuse your personal information. Therefore, it is very important that you wipe out spyware from your system in order to restore its sanity, security and privacy. The article explores the precautionary as well as the corrective steps vis-à-vis spyware.

Anti-spyware. Of course this is the foremost step to free your machine of spyware. Anti-spyware removes or quarantines all the spyware it “detects” in your system and also prohibits the entry of any new ones it “detects”. The keyword is detect, which implies that anti-spyware may or may not be able to identify all the strains of spyware. It works only on the ones it identifies. Actually, anti-spyware has a spyware dictionary carrying codes for various spyware. Now, as spyware enters your system, installed anti-spyware matches the spyware code with the ones present in its dictionary. If there is a correlation, anti-spyware informs you and deletes or quarantines the spyware then and there. AdAware, Optout, Spybot Search & Destroy, Spy Sweeper, Yahoo Anti-Spyware, Norton Anti Spyware, McAfee Anti Spyware and Windows Defender are some effective anti-spyware. You must regularly and religiously update your anti-spyware as spyware is technically updated at a rapid pace and its new versions are usually capable of getting through various anti-spyware bottlenecks. As a result, your anti-spyware, if not revised, may get obsolete within days. The installation and running of anti-spyware takes 15-20 minutes at the most which is fine if that means protecting your system.

Online spyware scan. If you have an anti-spyware installed on your system but you want a second opinion then instead of installing another spyware, better go in for online spyware scan such as Trend Micro, PestScan, Free ZoneAlarm and Webroot Spy Audit to name some. Most of the spyware scanners do not remove the spyware, they just list them out to you to enlighten you about your machine’s status. You may need to pay and subscribe for their registered versions to remove the spyware.

Links. Do not click on any devious looking links you encounter while browsing the internet. You should be especially vigilant about the ones in adware, popups or spams. The links may most probably be spyware and you may not be able to do much after clicking these.

Freeware. Better refrain from installing freeware in your system as spyware may be secretly packaged in it or it may be in the form of adware. However, if you do want some freebie, then download the freeware that is considered safe such as Eudora, eMule and Opera while, KaZaA is known to have spyware. As a precautionary measure, prior to downloading freeware in your machine, go through its cumbersome terms & conditions.
 
Pop-up blocker. You may effectively use popup blockers to overcome annoying popup nuisance on your computer screen. Google and Yahoo toolbars offer great popup blockers.

Popup windows. If you see an advertising popup window, or white window with simply task bar, or any other abnormal window, do not attempt to close it as the close button may be the installation button for spyware. The moment you click the close button, the popup will close on your screen while spyware will download and run on your system as long as it is online. Therefore, instead of clicking anywhere in the window, restart your system.
 
Shareware. Some spyware may be attached to freeware you are using. In effect, the freeware may cease to work if the associated spyware is removed. However, if you do require the application, then better shell out some money and opt for paid version of the application which will certainly be independent of any other software, will have all the features and can be updated regularly.

Despite so many steps, there is a possibility that once entered, the spyware is not completely removed from your system. When the solution is not perfect, it is better to stay away from the problems. Precaution is better than cure. Surf the net safely and keep your system secure and private.