Home / Spotlight on Spyware
GetNetWise Spotlight on Spyware
More and more computer users are finding unwanted programs operating on their machines that perform all sorts of annoying functions. These programs often display unwanted ads, change users' browsers' default home pages, add programs to the system tray and, in some cases, collect personal information. These programs are installed without meaningful consent and are almost always very difficult to uninstall or disable. They draw computing power away from your other applications making your computer sluggish and unstable.
If you've noticed any of these symptoms (and the other symptoms listed here), you may have picked up what's being called spyware or annoyware. These programs take on a variety of forms but they all have two things in common. First, they surreptitiously slink into your computer through e-mail, unauthorized web downloads or by bundling themselves with other software you install. Second, users are almost always annoyed by their presence. These programs are often extremely difficult to find, uninstall or disable. Use the Tips and Tools below to deal with spyware.
Tips
What are the telltale symptoms that you have spyware on your machine?
What are examples of the most devious of these programs and how they operate?
How do you prevent spyware from infecting your computer?
Tools
Spyware is insidious because it is almost always difficult to uninstall or disable. In most cases you'll need to use special software tools to extract spyware from your computer. Strange as it may seem there is no agreement on what qualifies as spyware. Before you use the tools here realize that they may remove programs that others believe are perfectly legitimate and authorized. Also, spyware programs may dig so deeply into your computer that removing them could make your system even more unstable. But, if you're extremely annoyed, you may need to take extreme measures. Here are some tools.
