Generally speaking, adware is a program that comes with freeware, shareware and friendware downloaded online. It displays pop-up or pop-under ads on your computer even if you are not online. Usually you have agreed to this installation when you accepted the product license agreement.
On the other hand, spyware literally spies on each and every thing you do on your computer - it is similar, but even worse than adware. This is often used in conjunction with strategic product placement or marketing campaigns, as the program would transfer what should mostly be your browsing habits back to the parent company that created it in the first place. Worse, you may even encounter spyware that gathers not just your browsing habits, but your identifying information as well, and sends it to third parties who are likely up to no good. Without a doubt this is against the law, but more often than not, you would not realize that your privacy is invaded until it's too late.
Now probably you're just one of those casual Internet surfers who lets such annoying, obnoxious ads pass, or even appreciate the fact that these companies are giving you the time of day. But would you feel as carefree if you realized that you have a form of Spyware that could siphon such sensitive details like your bank account number? And it doesn't matter if your "only" problem is Adware (that is, if you're aware of it) - such programs could significantly slow up your computer and cause its performance to move at a snail's pace instead of a hare's. It can take much longer for system processes to start up and each task is slower. You may be surprised to see a new toolbar underneath the address box of your browser. Your default page on your browser may be changed to something else, and it could be near impossible to change it to the original page - in fact, any other page for that matter. There are pop-ups that will keep coming back up even if you close them. You may see your bookmarks or favorites list loaded with sites you don't even recognize. And finally, your computer may find itself crashing after that proverbial "dead cat bounce" when everything suddenly seems all right again.
Here are some tips to stay safe:
Moving forward, you will want to carefully read the end user license terms when you download new software, to prevent the chances of Adware sneaking in. Sad to say, Spyware is never disclosed in the terms, so that might be an issue.
An Adware Remover & Anti-Spyware software would be mandatory. Before purchase do some research and compare features for your short list of contenders so you can select the appropriate one.
Make weekly checks with your Adware Remover & Anti-Spyware software - one run isn't enough.
You will also want to download any patches or updates for your operating system. You can usually download this from Microsoft.
For those who are more comfortable with Internet Explorer, browsers such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are better choices for everyday Internet use. While Microsoft Windows and Internet Explorer are both wildly popular for worldwide Internet users, their popularity also makes them prone to attacks of spyware and adware.
On the other hand, spyware literally spies on each and every thing you do on your computer - it is similar, but even worse than adware. This is often used in conjunction with strategic product placement or marketing campaigns, as the program would transfer what should mostly be your browsing habits back to the parent company that created it in the first place. Worse, you may even encounter spyware that gathers not just your browsing habits, but your identifying information as well, and sends it to third parties who are likely up to no good. Without a doubt this is against the law, but more often than not, you would not realize that your privacy is invaded until it's too late.
Now probably you're just one of those casual Internet surfers who lets such annoying, obnoxious ads pass, or even appreciate the fact that these companies are giving you the time of day. But would you feel as carefree if you realized that you have a form of Spyware that could siphon such sensitive details like your bank account number? And it doesn't matter if your "only" problem is Adware (that is, if you're aware of it) - such programs could significantly slow up your computer and cause its performance to move at a snail's pace instead of a hare's. It can take much longer for system processes to start up and each task is slower. You may be surprised to see a new toolbar underneath the address box of your browser. Your default page on your browser may be changed to something else, and it could be near impossible to change it to the original page - in fact, any other page for that matter. There are pop-ups that will keep coming back up even if you close them. You may see your bookmarks or favorites list loaded with sites you don't even recognize. And finally, your computer may find itself crashing after that proverbial "dead cat bounce" when everything suddenly seems all right again.
Here are some tips to stay safe:
Moving forward, you will want to carefully read the end user license terms when you download new software, to prevent the chances of Adware sneaking in. Sad to say, Spyware is never disclosed in the terms, so that might be an issue.
An Adware Remover & Anti-Spyware software would be mandatory. Before purchase do some research and compare features for your short list of contenders so you can select the appropriate one.
Make weekly checks with your Adware Remover & Anti-Spyware software - one run isn't enough.
You will also want to download any patches or updates for your operating system. You can usually download this from Microsoft.
For those who are more comfortable with Internet Explorer, browsers such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are better choices for everyday Internet use. While Microsoft Windows and Internet Explorer are both wildly popular for worldwide Internet users, their popularity also makes them prone to attacks of spyware and adware.
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