• How to Protect Your Computer from Spyware and Adware
• Is Your PC Affected by Spyware?
• Weekly/Monthly PC Housekeeping

How to Protect Your Computer from Spyware and Adware

As if spam, viruses, and worms aren't bad enough. Adware and spyware are here to sap the remaining life out of your productivity and privacy. Cookies are harmless in comparison!

Adware is software that displays advertisements on your computer. These are ads that inexplicably pop up on your display screen, even if you're not browsing the Internet. Some companies provide "free" software in exchange for advertising on your display. It's how they make their money.

Spyware is software that sends your personal information to a third party without your permission or knowledge. This can include information about Web sites you visit or something more sensitive like your user name and password. Unscrupulous companies often use this data to send you unsolicited targeted advertisements.

Is Your PC Affected by Spyware?

The main problem that most people notice with either kind of program is that they cause performance issues with their computers. For example, Internet Explorer might not work properly any more, your computer might hang more frequently, or your computer might slow down significantly. Removing spyware successfully is difficult enough to make preventing it in the first place a priority.

Unauthorized adware and spyware usually install on your computer covertly by using one of two methods:

Once installed, spyware can transmit your personal information and download advertisements 24 hours a day. It can also hijack your browser settings, such as your home page or search page.

Weekly/Monthly PC Housekeeping

1.  Connect to internet and check for any new updates for:

Microsoft Updates  (Click on Start - Help and Support - Pick a Task - Windows Update - � and away you go.)
Antivirus Software (AVG) Double click icon on desktop (to get your free copy of AVG you can download it from here)� and then click "Check for Updates Now" and away you go. Adaware Double click Adaware on desktop, (to get your free copy click here). Click on Updates.
Spybot Search and Destroy Double click Spybot Search and Destroy on desktop, (to get your free copy click here) click "Search for Updates".  Once updates are downloaded click "Immunise"� at the top (green cross) and make sure "All known bad products are blocked" � is ticked.

Once all the above have had their latest updates downloaded onto your laptop/pc you can now continue to the next step.

2.  Time for the Scans

Microsoft Updates will have completed the job of installing itself whilst you were online downloading so nothing to do there, (you may be asked at the time to restart the laptop/pc, do whatever it says).

AVG Antivirus Software Double click AVG on the desktop, then click on Scan My Computer. This will be the longest scan, approx 30 mins or so. Well worth doing though so don't leave this one too long between scans.

Ad-aware Double click icon on desktop, click "Scan Now" make sure black dot is in "Perform smart system scan"� and click next.  This usually takes about 5-10 mins.  Once the scan has completed, place a tick in the boxes (you will know what I mean when it finishes that is if it has found anything!) and click next until the end of the wizard.

Spybot Search and Destroy Double click icon on desktop, click "Check for problems" if anything comes up, select it and follow the wizard.

Scans over....

3.  Run Disk Clean-Up - Weekly

This actually comes with Windows and has been installed by default since Windows 98. You can find it by clicking the Start Button and then going to Programs / Accessories / System Tools / Disk Clean-up.
I Irecommend selecting all of its options except the ones for Office Setup Files and Compress Old Files if you have them. While you may select those if you wish, they aren't as important. This will clean up all of the temporary files so your testing will go faster, and may also delete any spyware that may hiding there if the spyware isn't already running.

Defragging the Hard Drive - Monthly

XP Users - Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk defragmenter. Choose drive c and away you go.

Win98 users -" Close down any open windows and press Ctrl+Alt+Del all at the same time and end all tasks listed EXCEPT Systray and Explorer - once this is done go to Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Defrag Hard Drive and choose drive C.

Once this has finished, restart the PC and away you go!!!

Congratulations.

If, having read all the above you are still experiencing unusual behaviour from your PC, then please give us a call.  We will be more than happy to assist and get your PC back up to speed and healthy.