We All Know Spyware Can Hurt Your Computer, But What Is Spyware?

by Jack Mason

The term "spyware" is commonly used, however it's not always made clear what it means. So, what is spyware?

Put simply, spyware refers to various programs and software that gets installed on your computer without you knowing. These programs then go on to cause "malicious" activity - some examples of this are:

1) Steal your personal information. Spyware can "spy" on what files are on your computer and capture the passwords and other personal information you enter while you are online.

2) Add all sorts of extra programs and add-ons to your computer which you haven't authorized. This is usually used to monitor your online activity and will cause your computer to run a lot slower than usual.

3) Automatically make your web browser take you to websites that have other harmful files such as viruses or other forms of spyware.

4) Without you being aware, spyware can change the security settings you have on your computer so that your computer is at an increased risk of getting viruses or having personal information stolen.

As you can see, spyware can be a big headache!

Apart from the activity above, Spyware also slows down your Internet connection and make life miserable when you are surfing the Internet - many of those annoying pop-ups appearing out of nowhere are the result of spyware making its way on your system.

Wondering how spyware makes it way onto your computer?

Most of the time you will never know for sure where the spyware on your computer came from. It sneaks its way onto your computer in various ways - some examples are:

1) Download programs that offer movie or music downloads. These are often offer for free and will automatically install spyware on your system.

2) Some software makers bundle Spyware with a program that they claim is a utility. For example, if you download a program (from some obscure website) that promises to accelerate your Internet speeds, then you can safely assume that such "utility" programs are loaded with Spyware.

3) There are some spyware programs that will try to mimic your operating system's messages in order to get on your computer.

As an example if you are using Microsoft windows on your computer, a message might popup that looks like it is a message from Microsort. You innocently click on the message and the spyware gets installed.

How do you know if your computer is infected with spyware?

Most people will start to notice their computer starts to slow down and they may also get more advertisements popup when they are browsing. Spyware is famous for making computers run a little "sluggish" - this is one of the first signs that your computer is infected.

Unfortunately, many people end up blaming their computer's hardware if their system is running slower than usual. More often than not it is nothing hardware related - it is the fact that spyware has made its way onto their computer.

It's important that you protect your computer and make sure you destroy any spyware on your system starting today!

It is estimated that over 90% of computers are infected with spyware - it's next to impossible not to pick something up if you are connected to the internet. You need to make sure you are using a quality anti-spyware program so that your computer and personal information is protected.

Look for a spyware remover that has received positive reviews and that can remove any spyware that is already on your system (along with protecting against new infections). You want a program that scans your computer for any current spyware, kills off anything it finds and then provides protection against future spyware.

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Click Here to find out how to use a free scan using the most popular spyware remover. You can also read spyware reviews to find out which program is best suited for your system.