How to Recognize Spyware
July 15, 2008 by Antivirus Ware.com - Download Norton Antivirus software instantly!Spyware is a maliciously unwanted program that can install itself on your computer without your knowledge (or consent), and can potentially damage your system. And with so many people constantly accessing the internet, anyone is at risk of being infected whenever they go online. Now that you have a fairly decent idea of what Spyware is, how do you recognize Spyware if it has been installed (or installed itself) on your computer?
The first sign that you may be infected is if you notice that your computer doesn’t operate normally (as in when you bought it). There are three basic warning signs that can indicate that your computer has been infected:
- your computer runs very slowly or acts like it is bogging down during page changes
- the internet home page that you selected keeps changing and takes you to sales pages and other undesirable sites (such as porn sites)
- pop-up advertisements are suddenly appearing and continue to increase in frequency, and sometimes you can’t get them to close
Regardless of the amount of time you spend on the internet, it is recommended that you install two programs — a Spyware blocker and an anti-Spyware blocker. This will protect your computer, as well as eliminate a lot of the worries that you may be having. These programs can run in the background without affecting your computer and prevent Spyware from being installed on your computer. It will also allow you to scan your system, find any unwanted programs, and then enable you to eliminate them.
