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Spyware & Adware
Spyware is a general term used to describe software that performs
certain behaviours such as advertising, collecting personal
information, or changing the configuration of your computer,
usually without appropriately obtaining your consent first.
Spyware is often associated with
software that displays advertisements (called adware) or software
that tracks personal or sensitive information.
That does not mean all software that
provides ads or tracks your online activities is bad. For
example, you might sign up for a free music service, but you
"pay" for the service by agreeing to receive targeted
ads. If you understand the terms and agree to them, you may
have decided that it is a fair trade-off. You might also agree
to let the company track your online activities to determine
which ads to show you.
Other kinds of spyware make changes
to your computer that can be annoying and can cause your computer
slow down or crash.
These programs can change your Web
browser's home page or search page, or add additional components
to your browser that you don't need or want. These programs
also make it very difficult for you to change your settings
back to the way you originally had them.
The key in all cases is whether or
not you (or someone who uses your computer) understand what
the software will do and have agreed to install the software
on your computer.
There are a number of ways spyware
or other unwanted software can get on your computer. A common
trick is to covertly install the software during the installation
of other software you want such as a music or video file sharing
program.
Whenever you install something on your
computer, make sure you carefully read all disclosures, including
the license agreement and privacy statement. Sometimes the
inclusion of unwanted software in a given software installation
is documented, but it might appear at the end of a license
agreement or privacy statement.
Types of downloads that may contain spyware:
• Free games downloaded from the Internet
• Music, movies, and other software file-sharing programs
downloaded from the Internet or from other computers
• Animated characters for your desktop
• Free screen savers downloaded from the Internet
• Toolbars for your Internet browser
• Free pop-up blockers that appear on your computer
when you are online
Many kinds of unwanted software, including
spyware, are designed to be difficult to remove. If you try
to uninstall this software like any other program, you might
find that the program reappears as soon as you restart your
computer. If you're having trouble uninstalling unwanted software,
you may need to download a tool to do the job for you. Several
companies offer free software that will check your computer
for spyware and other unwanted software and help you remove
it. However you have to accept the fact that not all 'free'
software will remove all Spyware and Adware.
Up until very recently Anti-Virus and
Internet Security software did not address the issues of Spyware
and Adware; this has now all changed and one of the very best
suites of programmes on the market is the AVG range of software
products.
Our
AVG Software
Here are several links to some of the
better free programmers:
AD-AWARE
SE
SPYBOT
SEARCH & DESTROY
MICROSOFT
WINDOWS DEFENDER
* Please note
that the links to software on this page are provided as is
and at your own risk. TechValley can not be held liable for
any software that you install from the above links, nor do
we provide any technical support on the above mentioned software
programs. Please contact support directly from the manufacturer's
website.
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