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| RIDDING
YOURSELF OF SPYWARE |
| Spyware
is any product added to your computer that tracks your activities
and reports back to the product creator, allowing them to more
specifically further target advertising efforts in your direction
(or sell the info to other advertisers). |
WhatItIs.com
offers this
definition:
In general, spyware is any technology that aids in gathering
information about a person or organization without their knowledge.
On the Internet, spyware is programming that is put in someone's
computer to secretly gather information about the user and relay
it to advertisers or other interested parties. Spyware can get
in a computer as a software virus or as the result of installing
a new program. Data collecting programs that are installed with
the user's knowledge are not, properly speaking, spyware, if
the user fully understands what data is being collected and
with whom it is being shared. |
| How
does spyware end up on your system? Each case is somewhat different,
but usually it's because you downloaded some software offering
a free service of some sort. If you're part of a family, for
example, your kids may have clicked on a smiling purple monkey
named Bonzi
Buddy. |
| While
it's important to educate yourself about how it got there in
the first place, the really important thing is to get it off
there. Then you can try to be a bit more conservative about
clicking on things in the future. |
| Update:
Spyware elimination has become a huge industry. Sadly, however,
some of the spyware elimination software producers seem to be
little better than those who produce the original spyware. Before
you go investing in a commercial solution, be sure to do some
research. Many of them will sell your personal info to spammers,
for example. |
| There
are just a handful of spyware elimination products which are
generally considered safe by those "in the know".
Among those are
Spybot - Search & Destroy and Ad-Aware,
along with one we've just recently selected as our personal
choice, Pest
Patrol. It is far and away the simplest and most effective
spyware removal program we've seen to date. Here's some info
about it: |
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PestPatrol
is a powerful security and personal privacy tool that
detects and eliminates destructive pests like trojans,
spyware, adware and hacker tools. It complements your
anti-virus and firewall software, extending your protection
against non-viral malicious software that can evade your
existing security and invade your personal privacy. |
PestPatrol
defeats the threat by detecting and removing:
-- Spyware and adware that "phones home" information
about you, your computer, and your surfing habits
-- Remote access trojans (RATs) that allow an attacker
to remotely control your computer
-- Keyloggers that can steal passwords and other confidential
data
-- Denial-of-service (DoS) attack agents that can crash
or hang a program, or your entire system
-- Probe tools that look for vulnerabilities on your system
that a hacker can exploit |
| The
easy-to-use interface, automatic updates and extensive
on-line research center make it simple to keep your computer
clear of unwanted pests. A 2002 PC Magazine Five Star
Utility, PestPatrol makes it easy to surf with confidence,
knowing that your personal information stays private and
your computer stays secure. |
| Your
purchase includes a one-year subscription to pest detection
file updates, product upgrades, and online technical support. |
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