So you’ve got the latest virus checker with the most recent up-dates and you think you’re covered for any conceivable mischief that can be done to your computer. Think again. You may not be protected against spyware, the stealth software imbedded in advertising. Spyware is a kind of Trojan advertising technology that monitors and reports what you do on your computer. If you went on the web anytime in the recent past, chances are you’ve got spyware on your c: drive.
Spyware cannot be prevented by a firewall, according to some, because it simply seeps through your browser port and may be undetectable even though it doesn’t necessarily have a sinister purpose. Network World reports that spyware is usually produced by some company other than the vendor of the software it is imbedded in and can be found in more than 800 applications! Examples are Gozilla, comet cursor, and morpheus.
If not harmful, spyware can be very annoying, with its unexpected pop-ups while you’re browsing, or even not browsing. Spyware slows down your machine at the very least. Can it steal your passwords, credit card numbers, and address book? If you leave them exposed, it probably can. For sure, it finds your preferences.
There are two free programs I have heard of that can locate and remove spyware, Ad-Aware and SpyBlocker. Ad-Aware is a free utility from Lavasoft of Germany. I’ve used Ad-aware and found it very efficient and very fast.
It scans your PC’s memory, registry, and file system, searching for spyware. Of course, you set up what you want scanned. After that, you get a report on what Ad-Aware found, and it gives you the option of removing part or all of the culprits.
Ad-Aware is so thorough, the parent program may not run after the associated spyware is removed. Do I care? No. In most cases, I didn’t want the parent program anyway, especially after it unloaded the spyware on me.
Spyblocker is also free. I haven’t tried it, but have heard it described as "way cool".
