So how do we get infected by these spyware programs?

Spyware can enter a computer through the installation of a new piece of software. In most cases this is by means of "free software" obtained from the Internet. Always read what the program contains before downloading. Take time to read what the software contains. The other methods by which spyware is installed is by "Drive by Download", an instance where we only have to view the website to initiate the download. However the most common method at present involves the clicking of some option in a deceptive pop-up advert that displays on our screen. We invariably click to close these pop-ups but unknowingly activate the spyware to download.

For this reason alone the Pop-up stopper software was introduced. It was developed to stop us continually being targeted and downloaded with thousands of unsavoury spyware programs to which we had no defence. Many people assume the pop-up stopper was developed for annoyance purposes. If only.

Before we continue lets go back to the words "Drive by Download" and the enormity of what this means.

A "Drive-by-Download" gives us no defence, full stop. It is transmitted with none of the tell tale signs associated with spyware, ie through a deceptive pop-up, or free software installation. Simply by entering the site activates the spyware to download. Drive-by-downloads can also be found in our emails from unknown companies/persons of whom we have no recollection. As soon as we view the contents, again we activate the spyware download. Remember most spyware installed in your computer can track everything, so don't be surprised to be sent emails from a source unknown. The reason is that spyware already installed on our computer, is able to obtain our email address, which in turn can be shared with third parties, associates, who, in-turn, want to install their own adware/spyware so we are able to view their products through an advert on our screens. By sharing our information they can effectively target a far greater audience. a clever marketing idea, but do we really want this to happen?.

The extent to which spyware presents itself is continually changing, new methods of camouflage are being developed almost daily. However we can dramatically reduce the effects of adware and spyware being installed on our computers by following proven security methods to counteract this problem.

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So what have we learnt so far?

Firstly, we are all subjected to spyware as soon as we connect to the Internet. Our computers are being used to store invisible programs that continually load advertisements to our screen that are also being used to track our activities, personal details and send our information 24hours a day to interested parties. Remember for each new spyware program secretly installed, multiply it by the number of associates that company/individual may have and within a short while, sometimes only a matter of minutes, new adware/spyware is being sent to you. The severity of just one spyware program can instantly multiply to 100 spyware programs being targeted and installed on your computer. It works very much like Pyramid selling in the manner in which it grows.

When asked, "What do they track?" the reply comes back, "Anything they want to!"

If you had the ability to gain access to someone's personal details, what would you go after?

Remember most companies use spyware for marketing advantage only, however, individuals, with criminal tendencies, can use the spyware technique for their own financial gain. Everything we choose to view on the Internet has the potential to harm or infect us and eventually paralyse us with unknown code continually being placed in our computers. Reboot held a T.A.T (Threat Analysis Test) for adware and spyware on a new Internet ready computer with Firewall. The results over a one-week period showed 168 embedded programs installed. From our Customer base the level of infection ranged from 27 to 900 separate adware/spyware programs installed secretly. The reason the range is so wide is due to the fact that some customers had already installed a Pop-up stopper, but were unfortunate enough to have been infected prior to installation.

Secondly, spyware can feed off each other, sending our information to third parties who in turn send us their adware (adverts) and spyware for tracking personal details. The number of spyware programs installed within our computers can therefore only continue to grow. RAPIDLY..

Thirdly, the rationale for and the importance of a Pop-up stopper. By stopping the advertisements from being displayed we can effectively eliminate the threat before it appears on our screen. A Pop-up stopper must therefore be one of our main lines of defence to eliminate new threats being downloaded through means of pop-up advertisements. Remember these are new threats we're stopping; we still have to remove the existing spyware already installed. So an up-to-date spyware remover software is essential if we're to minimise the amount of information being monitored and circulated to third parties. The spyware remover also plays a vital role against the drive by download for which we activate the spyware download just by viewing the website.

If pop-up adverts appear on your screen when browsing the internet, look at them as potential spyware. Do not click to close them, you will only activate the spyware and start the installation.

Use a pop-up stopper and the adverts will not appear, thus removing the threat before it appears on our screen.

Another important factor is the effect of hundreds of adware/spyware programs being installed on our computers. We all have a hard-drive that stores our Operating system (Windows 95,98,98SE,Millenium,Xp) along with our private information, work files, photos, correspondence etc. Each time we create a new document, install new software, our hard-drive is being used to save our work. What we don't see is the amount of hard-drive space being used to store these unbeknown adware/spyware programs.

Here's another reason why our computers run slow. Each spyware program installed is running without our knowledge, loading its adverts to our screen, but also sending our details to their associates. If you have 300 spyware programs on your computer, 300 requests are being asked of our processor to display the adverts and send our information. This along with our normal internet activities will cause our computer to run slow, and eventually cease to function.

Next - Am I infected ?