Anti Spyware & Malware Removal

How To Clean Your PC of Spyware, Trojans, Malware & Adware Tracking Programs

Removing Spyware, Malware, Trojans and Adware can be done using spyware removal tools that will deep clean your PC in just a few clicks.keyboard key with padlock

Spyware Removal Software

  1. Spyware Doctor – Free Trial by PC Tools (direct download link)
  2. STOPzilla Antispyware – $9.95 (up to $30 off with rebates)
  3. System Shield 4.0 – Save $10 on award winning antispyware & antivirus software
  4. Webroot – creators of Spy Sweeper
  5. Exterminate Now – Includes Free scan
  6. QuuSoft AntiSpyware
  7. XoftSpySE

What is Spyware?

Spyware is type of program that captures information about a user’s activity without their knowledge. While some computer owners may install this type of software on purpose to monitor the online activity of their employees or children, the majority of spyware is designed to be loaded without the owner’s permission. Once installed, the spyware keeps track of activity such as keystrokes and sites that are visited. Some spyware is designed to capture your personal information and can lead to identity theft, while other software will control your internet usage by changing your home page or periodically flooding your screen with pop-up advertisements.

Spyware is notorious for slowing down or stopping your internet connection as well as interfering with the correct operation of other programs. If you’re experiencing any of these issues, you should use a spyware removal program to clean your system. Because spyware programs are well hidden in your system, and most users find that they often have multiple infections, these inexpensive utilities are well worth the expense.

How Does Spyware Get Installed?

Anyone that uses the internet or opens email is a potential spyware victim. However, if you run Microsoft Windows and use Internet Explorer, you computer is particularly vulnerable. Internet Explorer is tightly bundled with the operating system which makes some of the crucial system files vulnerable to changes when the spyware is installed. In a way, spyware actually becomes part of your computer’s core system.

The most common way for spyware to find its way onto your computer is trickery and deception. You may come across an advertisement for a free web accelerator or security program that is actually spyware in disguise. Some tricky spyware authors will create pop-up messages that look like a normal system alert message that may tell you that you’re infected or that you’re running out of storage space. If you click any button on the window before thinking, the spyware will be installed. Many people find that the latest new song they’ve downloaded for free doesn’t play correctly. Often, the MP3 that was delivered is spyware in disguise.

Bundling is another method that spyware developers use to gain access to your computer. Some spyware distributors will pay freeware programmers to bundle their spyware along with popular software downloads. If bribery won’t work, some crafty spyware creators have learned how to re-bundle freeware with a new installer module that loads their program along with the free software. Next, they will begin marketing this new package as a valuable free offer.

The most insidious way that spyware finds its way to your machine is through suspicious websites. You may find yourself on an odd page by clicking on a search result or misspelling a popular website address. Without any further action on your part, the spyware will load as soon as you land on the page.

Symptoms of Spyware Infection

  • Pop-up advertisements appear all the time.
  • Your computer settings have changed, and you aren’t able to change them back
  • Your computer is slower than usual, and crashes more often
  • Your search results aren’t genuine
  • Your web browser has toolbars that you don’t want, and can’t remove

Common Types of Spyware

Spyware programmers use many different techniques to create their malware. The following list includes a few of the more frequently used methods:

  • Browser Session Hijackers change your browser settings and redirect you to sites that pay a commission to the spyware author.
  • Cookies are used by many legitimate companies to store your user preferences and password information. They can also be used by spyware to track your browsing habits and gain access to your personal information.
  • Browser Helper Objects are installed within Internet Explorer and use the unlimited access to track your browsing habits.
  • Bots or Zombies allow a remote user to take control of your machine and look for personal information.

Spyware, By Any Other Name

Spyware is also known as adware, thiefware, and trackware. Adware tracks a user’s surfing habits and displays advertisements based on the program’s interpretation of their preferences. Some users download adware on purpose to assist them with their shopping efforts; this is not spyware. However, any adware that is installed on your computer without your knowledge or consent is spyware. Thiefware is a type of spyware that copies your personal information to another computer for use by someone else, while trackware monitors your internet habits and passes that information back to a third party.

Famous Spyware Programs

You might recognize a few of these well-known spyware modules. Maybe you’ve even loaded one or two.

  • CoolWebSearch has over fifty versions and embeds in your browser. When you try to surf the internet, it will redirect you to online gambling and porn sites.
  • The Internet Optimizer will take you to advertisement sites whenever you attempt to login to a site that requires a userid and password.
  • The Adware.Hotbar changes the functions behind your toolbar buttons so that they open advertisements.
  • Gator is offered as a free tool to store your personal information and automatically fill in online forms. While performing those functions, it also tracks your browsing habits.
  • Kazaa was a popular peer-to-peer file transfer service that loaded spyware to your computer.
  • Bonzai Buddy was a popular animated character that was targeted to children and came with bundled spyware.

Dangers of Spyware

If you’ve been infected with spyware, it won’t take long for your frustration to reach the breaking point. Your connection slows, or stops completely, for no reason you can easily find. No matter how many times you reset your home page, it continues to change itself back to a site that you would never visit. You’re certain that you typed the website name to your favorite site correctly, but you keep landing on a different page. Let’s not even talk about all those pop-ups that were never a problem before. Maybe you’ve even reset enough options to allow your browser to function somewhat normally only to restart your computer and have everything happen all over again.

In the meantime, your CPU is overworked, your disk space is disappearing, programs are freezing, and your system is crashing. Some people don’t realize their problems are created by spyware and will eventually buy a new computer. They assume their problems are due to hardware issues. Others spend numerous hours trying to rid themselves of spyware and often find that they have multiple infections. The problem can usually be corrected by a complete system reinstall, but many people will soon re-infect their machines as they begin loading their favorite online programs.

If this wasn’t enough, maybe someone out there in the cyber-world is capturing your personal information. An online thief can quickly steal your identity with only a few pieces of information. Before you know it, they could be opening new credit lines or cleaning out your bank account. Once your identity has been stolen, it takes time and money to get it back. The culprits are rarely caught and many victims spend years trying to recover their good credit rating.