What Spyware is and How it Gets Onto a Computer
Spyware is a category of malicious software designed to secretly gather information about how you use your computer. Although the information gathered is usually used for marketing purposes, it can also be used for malicious purposes such as stealing an identity or credit card number. The method of infection varies, but often spyware is delivered through a free program downloaded from the Internet. Computers can also be infect when a particular web site is visited.

Computer users often become aware of spyware when it "breaks" the computer's ability to perform correctly. A common symptom is a "hi-jacked" web browser that automatically loads a web site. In severe cases, multiple pieces of spyware will conflict and "break" the computers ability to network.

Prevention
Since most spyware is placed onto a computer by an unsuspecting victim, it is necessary to check all free software before downloading and installing it. Before downloading free software, always perform an Internet search using the name of the program and the word "spyware," then examine the search results. Often, if the software is spyware, the search results will clue you in. If the search indicates the software is spyware, don't install it on your computer.

Another way to limit spyware is to use a web browser that has less access to subsystems of the Windows Operating System.

Alternate Web Browsers:
Firefox
Netscape

Removal
There are a number of reliable programs that scan for spyware and adware and remove it.

Regularly Scan for Adware/Spyware
Several software companies (listed to the right) provide free software designed to detect and remove adware and spyware. You need to update this software and scan your computer on a regular basis (once a month is a minimum) to find and remove any of these unwanted programs.

Removing spyware will often break the programs associated with it. Conversely, just removing the program that delivered spyware will not remove the spyware.