Adware and Spyware are technologies that infect your computer by unscrupulous methods and in most cases unaware and unknownly to the user. The violation to your online privacy, security and your consumer choices are influenced, controlled, monitored and exploited!
Although these technologies may sometimes be confused with one another, Adware and Spyware are quite different, but nevertheless, all are interfering with, violating or compromising your security and privacy via your computer and Internet activity.
If you answer yes to one or more of the following computer conditions then it's safe to say your computer and/or your online activity has been compromised by adware or spyware.
Adware and Spyware infection symptoms:
- your browsers home page has changed to a different theme
- your browsers search settings have changed
- your computer has started to slow down
- your computer frequently freezes or crashes
- unfamiliar search bar in your web browser window
- unfamiliar toolbars have appeared in your web browser
- unfamiliar icons have appeared on your Windows desktop
- unfamiliar folders have appeared in your Favorites List
- experiencing excessive randomized pop-up ads
- your hard drive suddenly zings into activity for no apparent reason
There are currently over 78,000 different Adware and Spyware programs infecting thousands upon thousands of innocent Internet users every day. Adware and spyware are hosted within downloadable games, music download programs, screensaver programs, images download programs, pop-ups windows and unscrupulous subjected emails.
Adware and Spyware can cause your PC to run extremely slow and to frequently crash as well as allowing advertising companies to influence your online activities, compromise your online security and privacy whenever they wish!
Adware and Spyware is now an ever increasing problem that you, your family, your friends and your colleagues must be aware of in order to protect your online privacy and your computers from possible system crashes, compromised security and privacy violations.
Adware are applications that are installed on to your computer via downloaded files or included with music sharing programs. This Adware software allows advertising companies to inundate you with a seemingly never ending assault of pop-up ad after pop-up ad.
Have you ever noticed an unfamiliar icon on your desktop or start menu and wondered where it came from? Have you ever logged on to the Internet to find that your home page has changed to some unfamiliar theme? Have unfamiliar search bars appeared on your web browser and seem to be on every page you visit?
These are all symptoms of adware programs. Adware program can place icons almost anywhere on your computer and on your windows desktop, they can change your browsers home page to whatever and whenever they wish, and they frequently control and influence your search results, causing you to see the results that only they want you to see. Yes, Adware is Badware!
Spyware applications are the sneakiest and nastiest of all privacy and security violation programs. Spyware applications hide on your PC's hard drive and in most cases without your knowledge or full consent.
These applications allow hackers and advertising companies to track all your computer activity, both online and offline! Spyware can track the keystrokes you make, websites you visit, the keyword terms you use in search engines, the items you buy online, the emails you send and receive, your Instant Message dialog, and worst of all they can even record your credit card number, personal identification numbers, and all of your computer and Internet passwords.
If you use a dial-up connection to connect to the Internet then spyware can be used to automatically connect you to 900 numbers without your knowledge. The 900 number charges are then charged to your phone bill. This is just a very short list of the privacy violations, security issues, financial implications and potential harm Spyware can cause.
If you, your friends or any members of your family have ever clicked on a pop-up ad, downloaded music files, downloaded file exchange programs or screensavers from the Internet?
If you have downloaded music files, games, screensavers, video clips, 'smiley faces', and pictures from the 'net there is a VERY strong possibility your computer has been infected by either adware, or worse, spyware!
How do I know if my computer is infected with Adware and Spyware ?
If you notice any changes to your web browser, changes to your favorites list and/or search functions, if you have unrecognizable or weird icons on your computer desktop then I'm sorry to say, you have been infected by Adware.
Spyware on the other hand is more difficult to visibly detect as Spyware programs usually just sit there in the background monitoring your keyboard, mouse and browser activity and sending your private information to Spyware corporations.
Removing Adware and Spyware isn't as hard as many would have you believe. Many anti-adware and anti-spyware companies offer a free scanning utility so you can quickly determine if your computer has been infected by adware or spyware programs.
You can check your computer for infections quickly and easily by downloading and running the FREE adware and spyware computer scan utility provided by trusted anti-adware and anti-spyware companies. Rest assured our trusted anti-adware and anti-spyware companies despise the use and distribution of adware and spyware programs as much as we do, so you can feel confident and safe in download and installing their free scanning utilities.
Below you will find a free adware and spyware scan utility link to trusted anti-adware and anti-spywear scanner providers, simply click on the link and follow the instruction provided. It is also highly recommended that you remove ALL adware and spyware programs and applications from your computer that are identified by the free scanning utility as Adware and Spyware host programs.
