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A sudden increase in the number of pop-ups? A dramatic slowdown loading the bookmarks you use all day, every day? Your browser home page is replaced? These symptoms familiar? Well guess what, you're infected with spyware just like 90% of the PC's out there. Does that make you feel better? Well, it shouldn't because some of that stuff apart from being irritating may just be setting you up for a theft of your personal financial information, your passwords and may result in identity theft attempts. Now, that I have your attention what are you going to do about it?
Computers with Internet connections are the favorite route to your information. The spyware that takes residence with you may be bundled with a free software even one that purports to be an anti spyware solution or a free Internet service that you download. There's the first answer for you. Stop downloading every blessed thing because it's free. Unless you know the source and have documented proof of it's safety don't download. You do not need it! It may be that the software is touted as "safe" but unless you know all the purposes of that download and are willing to allow a third party access to your vital records you should avoid it.
Spyware will often have the purpose of finding out your preferences as a consumer and is used as a guide for advertisers to tailor an approach to you that has a better chance of success than a random approach. The trouble is that you really do not know where your information is going and how long it will be before it falls in to the wrong hands.
Spyware may be the cause of a computer slowing as the computer user's bandwidth is consumed by sending information to the spyware parent source. This can be the basic cause of a crash.
Growth of spyware programs has become a serious concern for users who now face a far greater threat than personal computer operation and it is the whole panoply of identity thefts. Identity theft is the last thing on the mind of a user who downloads their favorite album online. The proliferation of porn on the web and the use of personal sharing sites like MySpace and YouTube have enhanced the possibilities for the cyber criminal whether they be potential child molesters or out to steal your bank account or credit card information to raid your assets.
While the installers of spyware often claim that the EULA agreements that you click on as agreeing absolve them of any legal claims. Unfortunately, the EULA's are normally disguised with very fine print and most users fail to read it anyway.
Several things you need to change or improve:
Download a top rated anti spyware program.
Keep the program updated frequently.
Monitor the world of spyware through anti spyware forums and blogs
Clean up your down loading habits now.
Install a recognized firewall.
Stay away from porn, gambling and other sites known to be heavily involved with spyware.
Develop hard to crack passwords and change them frequently |