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Spyware Prevention
Written by: Shawn Shellenbarger
Spyware prevention is essential to keeping your computer running smoothly, but in the current world of computers it is becoming increasingly difficult to win the battle over spyware prevention. The problem seems to be that spyware is everywhere. Keep this in mind as you as surfing the net or even reading a forwarded email from a friend. They may be unaware of the potential hazards of spyware or adware and will unintentionally send you a file that could be either malicious or benign but still be a pain to deal with. If a file is benign, it could still be collecting information from your computer and sending it to a third party, which could in turn have a malicious virus that could make getting rid of the spyware even more difficult.
The most important decision to make is which type of spyware protection software you will install in your computer. Most virus protection programs now have added spyware and adware protection programs that search for spyware on your computer and remove it, but if you have a program like Norton or McAfee you will have to pay extra for this spyware protection. There are also programs that offer a free trial, like Zone Alarm. This is a great program that offers good spyware protection and helps block unknown programs from accessing your computer, but after a 30 day trial you will not be allowed to access the protection without paying a small fee. Two excellent programs that work well hand in hand and are free to download the basic programs are Lavasoft's Adaware and Spybot Search and Destroy. Most of the time Adaware catches the majority of spyware on a computer, but it is good to have a back up like Spybot, in case something gets by one program. Don't be afraid to use more than one program on your computer, especially if this means keeping your computer safe and free from spyware and adware. Remember to always research the software before you place it onto your computer and even ask the advice of computer experts if you are not sure whether a program can help make a difference to your computer system.
Always be careful about what you download. Of course "free" software for something like a driver or music downloading program sounds better than paying money, but is it really free? Before you download the program simply perform an internet search on a search engine like google to find out what is being said about the software. Have other users found spyware on their computer from using the program or have experts suggested you stay away from downloading the software? This is a good indication that you do not want the program on your computer because it could create spyware or adware problems.
It is getting really hard these days to get rid of spyware and adware altogether, since it is often hard to detect where it is coming from. If you are using high speed internet you are more susceptible to dealing with spyware, since the information can be loaded onto your computer before you even realize what has happened. It is important to keep your spyware and adware protection updated because new methods and types of spyware are created on a daily basis. A spyware protection system that is even two weeks or a month old will not be able to detect new spyware, so be sure to always say yes to a protection program that asks you to update the software.
Shawn Shellenbarger
Maximum Software
http://www.spywaresnooper.com
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