You may be aware of an annoying issue facing computer users these days. It can be the cause of privacy and security problems without your knowledge. The issue: adware.
Adware is software that displays unwanted advertising on your computer and is one type of spyware that can infest your PC. Not only can it be used to bombard you with advertising, it can keep track of your surfing behavior and record private details such as usernames and passwords. This can subject you to identity theft.
Everyone is at risk, even IT geeks and regular users. Because of these facts it is important that you learn what the warning signs of adware are, how to spot it early on, and how to completely remove it so that it doesn't come back to wreak havoc.
Luckily for us there are several key signs to beware of that may suggest that you have a spyware or adware infection. If you see any of these signs you should run a scan as soon as possible:
- popup windows while surfing or on the desktop
- new toolbars in your internet browser
- your homepage has changed to something else
- strange desktop icons
A great way to protect your computer from spyware is frequent spyware scans. The program will compare files on your computer to a database of known spyware. If the files match, the scanner will take action to remove the spyware or adware from your computer.
A good rule of thumb would be to conduct a spyware scan once a month. If you are a frequent downloader and internet user, you might want to run a scan every week or every couple of days. Check to see if your program has a scheduling feature. This will allow you to schedule spyware scans in advance. This way you'll never forget and will always be fully protected.
In addition to performing regular spyware scans you should always use anti-virus & firewall programs. If any one of these three programs are missing you could be putting yourself at risk. These three programs combined will work together to reduce the chances of spyware finding it's way onto your PC. By performing these steps your PC can stay adware free and will always be running great!
