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What is spyware, adware and malware?

     Spyware, adware, and malware is all undesirable software put onto your computer usually without your consent. Spyware gathers internet user information without their knowledge for advertising purposes. These unwanted programs are usually bundled together with software programs like free screensavers, free ringtones and other freeware. Adware is similar and may actually produce unwanted popup ads. Together, they make up what is called malware.
     The good thing is, malware is more annoying than dangerous, and can be dealt with and removed with 2 free programs that are trusted and used by millions. Remember though, as you surf the internet, spyware and adware may reappear. So removal of the malware by running the following programs weekly (or at least monthly) is part of a regular maintenance routine. Do not be surprised to find hundreds of examples of spyware the first time you run these programs.

     The first program is called Ad-Aware SE. The free utility scans your memory, registry, hard, removable and optical drives for known data-mining, aggressive advertising, and tracking components. It does not provide real-time protection, but can detect and remove almost all types of adware and spyware. Get it HERE free.

     The second program is called Spybot Search And Destroy and  is probably repetitive of the above program, but I run them both every week. It sometimes finds spyware that Ad-Aware missed. SpyBot produces a detailed and easy to understand report before it deletes any files and allows you to deselect any item that you do not want to be processed. In addition, a recovery feature allows you to restore your settings if needed. Get it HERE free.