This article is written by Jutiphan Mongkolsuthree andit is part of the Technology section I wrote for Student Newspaper. Last updated: September 10, 2005
What is Spyware?
Your anti-virus program alone will not be up to this task. Spyware is internet jargon for Advertised Support Software (Adware). Spyware is a type of program that gathers information about you without your knowledge. The information may be distributed to other sources or phoned home. Adware is a program that displays the advertisements on your computer when it is running, and may not necessary be a spyware program.
Why is it so bad?
Those programs can be extremely annoying, taking up the internet bandwidth, and causing all kinds of problems from slowing down your computer to locking up your computer. Based on my experience, most problems I faced recently are originated from this factor.
The bad news is that there are hundreds of these programs such as Alexa, Cydoor, Hotbar, Comet Cursor, Xupiter, Gator, Offer Companion, BonziBuddy, or even a popular weather-tracking program. They normally come with free programs you’ve installed. Some free programs however required ad-supported programs to function properly that you may have to weight in whether to clean or not to clean. Just the reason of getting the advertisement alone, even not being spied on is enough for me to remove it from my system.
How do I know whether it is a spyware or not?
You can check whether the program you are trying to download is spyware or not by going to www.spywarechecker.com website.
Spyware also come in different ways apart from bundled with a free program, but also while you are browsing. Majority of spyware programs will attempt to install itself from the security permission window such as this one shown in Figure 1, so pay attention to what program you are letting your computer to install. How ever, this very same window may also ask you for a permission to install legitimate program such as Flash plug-in or Windows Update component.
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Figure 1: Pay attention to what you are clicking yes for
(Note: Windows XP SP2 updated the dialog to make it clearer and harder to be tricked)
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How do I get rid of spyware?
You alone will not be able to combat the spyware effectively without the need of spyware removal tools. The good news is that there are excellent programs out there to combat this threat. One of the best on the market today is Microsoft Defender and it is available for free. If it is not sufficient for you, I also would recommend Ad-aware and Spybot Search & Destroy. These programs will require constant updates like any other anti-virus programs. Please also note that those tools will not remove pop-ups or banner advertisement associated with the websites, since they are not classed as adware or spyware. You may also want to visit www.spywareguide.com for more information about this matter.
How do I stay protected and spyware-free?
You also should keep your Windows up to date by turning on Automatic Updates or visit Windows Update website regularly. If you are using Windows XP, make sure you have Windows XP Service Pack 2 installed.
The best way to stay protected is to be smart. Be aware of what you are installing and read the fine print carefully. This is obvious, but it is easy to be just plain lazy to pay attention.