Are Spyware Programs Lurking On Your Computer

Regardless as to how prideful you are when it comes to the skills you have whilst on your computer or surfing the internet, the fact is that you will be at risk from spyware and adware every time that you log on. There is just no one way in which to avoid the harmful and, annoying spyware programs that cause you to have more pop-ups than a childs favourite pop-up story book. Instead, you should try to constantly be aware of what is on your computer and how to maintain your computer in the best possible condition. Here are a few things that you may want to keep checking on your computer in order to prevent spyware. One way that you can tell if you have any spyware running in the background on your computer is if your keep noticing those annoying pop-ups appear without even having your preferred web browser open. Anybody that has a DSL or high-speed connection now know that they can be constantly connected to the internet whether intended or not so you must protect against this. Even though you may always be connected you should not ever have pop-ups appear on your screen unless you are actual surfing the internet at the particular moment. Otherwise, you most definitely have some form of spyware on your computer and you should use a spyware program to detect it right away. When you open your preferred web browser it will automatically open at the default home page that you have previously set, whether it is where we go to download our email or to discover that latest new and events, spyware can cause this to be a headache. If you launch you browser only to discover that you are taken to a website that you have not previously visited or are unfamiliar with then it highly likely that a spyware program is on you computer and effecting the browsers settings. The unwanted web page that you would be taken to is likely to resemble a search page or sales page in the hope that you will use or purchase something. If you start to notice that names or websites you do not recognize begin to appear in your browsers favourites list, such as pornographic or gambling related sites than this is likely to refer to some form of spyware. Many of these sites will attempt to automatically list themselves in your favourites list without your knowledge or really caring if you want them there at all. Remember that these websites are not there to win your heart or make you become a fan of their work, they are only there for one of two things, either to grab your personal details or just to cause a great deal of heartache. If you are having problems in running any particular task or program, try bringing up the Windows Task Manager screen by pressing the Ctrl (control), Alt and Delete buttons at the same time, and check to see if you are running any programs that you did not actual start or do not recognize. Most of these spyware programs will attempt to run in the darkness without you having any clue that they are there so an occasional check now and than will not hurt. If you always keep track of exactly all the additional software that you have installed on your computer since new, than it tends to be easier to notice when a new program appears on your computer, which may turn out to be spyware. Checking the list of programs on your computer can be done by simply viewing the Add / Remove programs area in the control panel. If you start to notice that your computer is starting to run a lot slower than normal or freezing up at every possible turn, which is extremely annoying and frustrating, it may indicate that you have a spyware problem on your computer. Many of these programs can be more than just harmful to your computer; they can be extremely demanding on the memory now that a parasite has attached itself and taking up valuable memory space. By constantly staying on top of what you have installed on your computer you can head this off at the pass. If you are unfortunate to discover a spyware program on your computer it may be possible to remove it without needing to purchase or download any anti-spyware programs from the internet. Not surprisingly, many people fear the thought of having to download something in the attempt to correct another problem caused by a download. Who is to say that the people selling the proposed solution are not the same ones that originally created the problem? You may be able to manually remove the program if you are computer minded, but it may be a relentless task as it sometimes takes several attempts to completely remove if from your system. Always be careful if you decide to download any free stuff from the internet, such as wallpaper to smarten up the appearance of your windows background or small graphic files to use on you web pages like MySpace or FaceBook. Spyware programs are notorious for hitting on the latest fad to entice the younger internet users to unknowingly download a program simply because it is completely Free! This may look attractive on the surface, but as we all know, nothing in life is truly free. These are just a few of the ways that you can continue to monitor your computer in the attempt to prevent spyware from being installed. Do not just get frustrated with your computer, stay on top of what you are doing and where you are going to keep your computer healthy. Darren Lintern is the author and owner of Spyware and All About. For more information on Spyware Protection, visit Spyware and All About where you will find a wealth of information on Spyware and Adware, including Spyware Help , Software, Detection and many other solutions to find and remove Spyware.