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Adware and Spyware: The Problems and Their Solutions
The Threat 10 years ago you could probably have run no Internet security applications and still have come out after a browse of the Internet with a virus and malware free computer, but this situation is no longer apparent. Several years ago, before I knew of the dangers of the Internet, I had absolutely no spyware or adware protection. After about 3 months of heavy Internet browsing, I decided to install Adaware Personal Edition and Spybot Search & Destroy, and after 1 scan of each, I truly realised the potential of the Internet. After just 3 moths of Internet browsing, I had gathered over 9000 different spyware and adware products. So if I can gather 9000 unwanted products in 3 months with only web browsing, what about all the people who constantly surf, download and install, and havn't scanned their PC for malware in over a year? That's right. Viruses are not restricted to movies and the news anymore. Adware is not only for those who install illegal software. In 2004, adwarereport.com reported that over 70 percent of home PCs are today infected unknowingly by spyware and that over 80 percent are infected by adware. I am willing to garantee you that 9 out of 10 people who read this article have at least 1 form of adware or spyware on their PC. Now if that isn't a threat to your PC than I don't know what is. What will it do? So now you're saying, "So what if I have spyware or adware. How much harm could it do?". That's a reasonable question, considering one of the reasons adware has been ignored for so long is its lack of severe harm. Adware slows your computer, it slows your Internet, it displays a popup every once in a while, but really it does no harm to personal files or hardware. Both adware and spyware breach privacy, but personal data rarely reaches anyone but untargeted advertisers so SPAM and advertising are the only real problems. Therefore, it is logical to say that adware and spyware are not as serious a threat as malicious viruses and trojans, but they are a threat all the same. Scanning and removing adware and spyware With the mass realisation of the threat of adware and spyware in the last couple of years, there is now literally hundreds of spyware and adware removers online. The most respected and thorough scanners for adware and spyware are Lavasoft Ad-aware and Spybot Search and Destroy. Both are free and are known to be much better then most of their costly counterparts. Microsoft Anti-Spyware is quickly increasing in popularity but is currently in Beta stages. Several other notable scanners include Spysweeper, BPS Spyware & Adware Remover and PestPatrol. I personally recommend you scan about once a month with both Spybot Search and Destroy as well with Lavasoft Adaware Personal Edition. Links Lavasoft Ad-aware : http://www.lavasoftusa.com/ Spybot S&D :http://spybot.eon.net.au/en/ References www.adwarereport.com Soroush King is a certified programmer, adept in VB, C++, Delphi, as well as web developer and scripter, having considerable knowledge of both PHP and Perl. He also owns and manages several professional websites. This article was originally published at http://www.articlesandtools.com/adware.php For more information on computer security visit http://www.articlesandtools.com. If you would like to use this article anywhere else, please just notify me by sending an email to kingofkings@gmail.com (you don't have to wait for a response, as this is just a notification, not permission). Please refer on the page that the author of the article was I, Soroush King, and also please note that the article was originally published at http://www.articlesandtools.com/adware.php by providing a link.
MORE RESOURCES: Europe Vows to Step Up Baltic Sea Security After a New Cable Break The New York Times Large Language Models Pose Growing Security Risks The Wall Street Journal UK minister met Chinese turbine company amid security concerns POLITICO Europe Protector app provides on-demand armed security ABC7 Los Angeles Electric infrastructure security measure updated Unicameral Update The Jones Act : A disastrous legacy for the U.S. economy and security Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) Elon Musk’s Private Security Are Now Special Deputies The Daily Beast Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on the Democratic Republic of the Congo United States Mission to the United Nations Jen Easterly, Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Steps Down HSToday US Marshals Service deputizes Musk’s private security detail: Reports Straight Arrow News ThreatLocker® launches new solutions, further advances Zero Trust security resilience and adoption Yahoo Finance DOE layoffs weaken security, economic growth: “Forget American energy dominance” Federal News Network HackerOne Debuts New Way to Quantify Security Value Channel Insider Webinar: Learn How to Identify High-Risk Identity Gaps and Slash Security Debt in 2025 The Hacker News Whistleblower lawyer Mark Zaid on the Trump administration's move to revoke security clearances The Record from Recorded Future News UN Security Council to Call on Rwanda to Pull Troops From Congo U.S. News & World Report Pennsylvania Treasury Bans Chinese AI Platform Over Security Concerns Franklin County Free Press Citrix Releases Security Fix for NetScaler Console Privilege Escalation Vulnerability The Hacker News Rep. Woolford on border security Michigan House Republicans Cleared to connect: American Airlines pilots streamlined security program in collaboration with US and UK governments American Airlines Newsroom EU Moves to Enhance Undersea Cable Security as Sweden Looks at New Incident - The Maritime Executive EU Moves to Enhance Undersea Cable Security as Sweden Looks at New Incident The Maritime Executive Texada achieves top security certifications American Rental Association The Diplomatic Security Service is being targeted for firings. Why that matters: Analysis - ABC News Ukrainians are looking past NATO to a European security architecture Al Jazeera English How to secure Notes on iOS and macOS Help Net Security Menlo Security Acquires Votiro to Deliver Easy, AI-driven Data Security to Enterprises Business Wire Exabits partners with Phala Network to offer robust AI security with TEE-enabled infrastructure GlobeNewswire Apple pulls iCloud end-to-end encryption feature for UK users after government demanded backdoor TechCrunch OpenText unveils AI-powered threat detection and response capabilities Help Net Security AI app DeepSeek banned on Pennsylvania treasury-issued devices over privacy, security concerns CBS News Regional peace depends on Iran's security Tehran Times EU seeks to strengthen underwater cable security in Baltic and Mediterranean Kathimerini English Edition Apple drops key ADP security feature in UK Mobile World Live ‘Golden ticket to job security’: Trade union partnerships hold promise for high school students Youth Today Second Take: ‘The Winter Soldier’ tackles American democracy and security The Stanford Daily Tusk proposes 3-point plan to strengthen Ukraine, European security. Kyiv Independent DOGE access to Social Security, IRS data could create privacy and security risks, experts say The Record from Recorded Future News Unarmed, undertrained, at risk: Advocates for Hawaii’s private security guards want change Hawaii News Now ISC West 2025 Preview: Inside the Security Industry’s Premier Event Security Sales & Integration Venture capital firm Insight Partners faces security breach Security Magazine ID-Pal, Facephi join influential payments, security groups Biometric Update Google Ad-Tech Users Can Target National Security ‘Decision Makers’ and People With Chronic Diseases WIRED Retired doctor and courthouse security deputy seeking Belvidere Township 'CEO' job Northern Public Radio (WNIJ) |
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