Virus And Spyware Removal - A Useful Guide!
Firstly a very basic description of what spyware and viruses are and what they do is appropriate.
Spyware is best slotted into two categories, the nuisance category and the category that can seriously compromise the security of information stored on your PC. A lot of internet fraud and identity theft is as a result of active spyware on your PC and the uncanny thing is that many PC users are unaware that they are infected.
Viruses are more sinister. They can be extremely harmful to your computer and tend to be passed in to your PC by the users own ignorance/naiveté - yes folks I'm sorry to say but most viruses are in there as a result of the PC users ignorance!
A very common entry method is by dodgy emails being opened or downloads of 'freebies'. A common source of viruses and Trojans are P2P download sites - so beware all you gamers and music buffs - you could be downloading a lot more than you bargained for!
How would I know that I have spyware or a virus?
Spyware usually becomes evident where your PC is not behaving the way it should. It could be running very slow, crashing for no apparent reason and even freezing up. In addition one of the most common visible signs are extremely annoying pop ups (some of them you wouldn't want your children to read or see!)
If you have one or more of these symptoms then it's likely you have an infection.
A currently popular method of downloading spyware into your PC without you realising it is utilising a third party toolbar usually from a source you don't know but seems to provide you with all sorts of short cuts - be very very wary of these and if you do use one make sure it's from a trusted source!
Viruses are more insidious, especially Trojans which can lie dormant in your registry until you perform some action or a specific date arrives and then you or the people you email will certainly know about it!
The usual give-away signs are similar to spyware but their presence is often more subtle and the most common viral attacks have been email associated so the general rule about having a decent operable spam filter is essential to block them should be applied.
If I suspect I have a virus or Spyware - What do I do?
The first thing is to do a scan with a reputable spyware/adware remover. Not all current branded virus software will pick up a lot of spyware because a lot of spyware is there from the users own invitation and not harmful to the operation of the PC - so a lot of files get 'over-looked' rather than missed.
Unfortunately I did not appreciate the difference until I had my PC badly infected - but you live and you learn as the saying goes.
There are quite a few software packages out there that will let you scan your system for free and then will charge a lifetime membership fee for protection. Most decent ones should cost no more than about $35 and there are plenty to choose from.
Quite a few of them are free and very good but leave it up to you to work out how to get rid of an infection.
There are other virus and spyware removal programs which as I just said charge a fee and provide good information on how to 'fix' the problem.
Scan For and Remove Spyware Now!
Author Resource Box (not our recommendation)
I would recommend checking out Spyware-Removal4u.com to see a comprehensive review of some of the most popular anti virus spyware programs that have been effective. If you've had similar problems to me then don't waste more time check here for more information!
Peter Burke MBA has been writing Journals and Articles for academic publications for over 7 years and is Managing Director of a Consulting Company in the United Kingdom.
Need to Know More About SpywareYou can find all the information you need on how to detect and fix Spyware problems in our anti Spyware section.
|
|
|
|
|
