Adware Agent - Spyware Explained     What is Spyware, and how do I prevent it? Spyware is the generic term given to hundreds of nasty little programs which invade the computer systems of unwary computer users without their knowledge and either transit your personal information out over the internet, modify or destroy personal files or attempt to take over parts of your computer system. How Does Spyware Work? There are several different types of spyware, some more harmful or annoying than others. Tracking Cookies - A cookie is an essential part of a smooth online experience. Your saved internet passwords are stored in cookies, so too are things like your shopping cart when buying online so cookies themselves are certainly not something to worry about. Tracking cookies, on the other hand, share information across unrelated websites and record a little too much personal information about your browsing habits which invades your personal privacy and in the wrong hands, can increase the amount of spam your receive as a result. Many of the web's most popular providers of online advertising use tracking cookies so these are things your computer will always be picking up unless you use a third party program to block the main offenders. Browser Hijackers - Moving up the scale of spyware annoyances are the browser hijacking parasites. It is pretty easy to tell when a browser hijacker parasite has invaded your computer because you will immediately see: Your browser homepage changed to another site entirely, usually a shopping search portal, one filled with nothing but affiliate advertising or an unpleasant porn site. Excessive Pop-Ups whether you are surfing the web or not. Additional sites added to your shortcuts and favorites menu and you may have a new uninvited toolbar. When surfing you are redirected to alternate sites than the ones you would expect. Yahoo and Google are particularly obvious targets. Browser hijackers usually come with some form of spyware tracking component as well to track your surfing habits so they can bombard you with even more pop-ups and advertising related to your perceived online interests!   Where Does It Comes From? One of the most popular ways spyware gets into computers these days is through downloading 'free' software from the net. There's an old saying; "there's no such thing as a free lunch" and this couldn't be more true than in the online world. When you download free software, in particular those which tread the boundaries of illegality such as P2P file sharing programs like Kazaa programs, you often find spyware programs are included in the installation program. The creator of the 'free' software gets a mere few cents for infecting your computer with this junk and you get a piece of software sending heaven knows what kind of personal private information to someone, somewhere in cyberspace. Might be the most expensive freebie you ever received... Another popular means of getting onto your computer is through an infected website or pop-up advert. Unless you have your browser security settings correctly set up to avoid this a website owner is able to set up an automated download of a spyware program onto your computer entirely unbeknownst to you. Just by visiting the site, or viewing the pop-up ad, your computer will become infected. You can prevent this by setting up our browser security settings correctly How Do I Prevent Spyware From Coming Back? Once you have removed spyware form your computer there are several things you can do to prevent the majority of it from coming back. 1) Anti-Spyware Software These programs work in much the same way as your anti-virus program but are designed solely to keep spyware out of your computer. 2) Change Internet Browsers Internet Explorer users suffer the worst at the hands of spyware producers. IE is the most popular browser around because it comes pre-installed with all Windows computers and most people simply don't bother to change to an alternative. It is also unfortunately not a particularly secure browser with several security 'holes' which the makers of spyware can exploit to sneak their parasitic software onto your computer without your knowledge. Alternative (and 100% free) browsers which are far better at preventing browser hijackers, sneaky virus downloads and cookie control include: Mozilla, Opera, Avant Browser or even Netscape. 3) Increase IE Security For those who insist on continuing to use Internet Explorer or a skinned version of that browser like MyIE2 or CrazyBrowser you are highly recommended to ensure your security settings are correct. The default set up is NOT the safest and will allow malicious code to exploit security flaws. There are several things you can do to make your IE more secure: Firstly, be sure to download all the latest security patches from the Microsoft website to fix up all the current security holes they know about. To do this simply open your browser, select "Tools" from the top menu and click on Windows Update then follow the instructions...be aware this may take several hours to complete all the downloading and installing you will might need to do. Secondly, run the full test at this site to ensure your settings are all OK. You'll also get a free PC tune up into the bargain. Thirdly, install a pop-up blocker. A lot of spyware is installed through third party advertiser's pop-up ads and blocking them offers an extra layer of protection. Free pop-up stoppers include Pop-Up Stopper and the Google Toolbar.