Spyware performs a variety of secretive actions on your computer, some merely annoying, others are downright malicious. Some spyware makes pop-up ads appear on your computer screen or collects information about you (e.g., which websites you visit). More malicious programs gather sensitive personal information, such as your credit card number or bank account number, and send it to an unknown third-party.
Antispyware computer software finds and removes spyware that's already on your computer, and it blocks new infections from taking hold. The best antispyware programs provide real-time scanning. You'll want a program that automatically updates itself to fight the latest spyware threats, rather than having you download updates manually.
There are currently around 80,000 Spyware and adware programs on the web, and all of them can be detrimental to your computer. Each and every day, hundreds of thousands of Internet users are infected with a Spyware or adware program.
- Have you downloaded music/movies online?
- Does your PC run slower than it should?
- Do you get bombarded with annoying pop-up ads?
Whenever you download a program or a file or click on a pop-up ad, you're putting yourself at great risk of downloading a parasite program. Adware not only can result in data corruption, personal profiling, hacker attacks, pop-up ads, spying, but also identity theft.
