What Are The Clues That You Have Spyware
Posted on January 18, 2008
Filed Under Spyware |
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The fastest and easiest way to see if you have spyware on your computer is to get a spyware detecting program and run it. Most of the time, you will have no idea that you even have this stuff on your computer. Their fist clue might be that all of a sudden something doesn’t look or feel right and/or something stops working right or at all. You want to make sure that you keep this stuff off your computer. For the most part, these programs are usually harmless. But there are those really awful ones that will get your most private information and completely mess up your life. There are some simple clues to look for that can tell you if you are running spyware unknowingly. Here are some things to look for when looking for spyware:
- If your search tool bar or Internet browser bar appears different than when you last saw it. There will be additional buttons that you did not install that just seem to have incorporated themselves in there.
- If you try to remove a piece of software and it won’t let you or just comes right back.
- While searching through the address bar, you are brought to pages you are completely unfamiliar with or didn’t meet your search inquiry.
- Your homepage on your browser has changed with out your permission to something you don’t want. No matter how many times you reset it always comes back.
- Pop-up windows advertising all kinds of things continuously even when you are not online or browsing the net. This is a real indicator that you have something on your computer.
- You start to get more than normal pop-ups. Instead on the one or two when you go to a web site you are now getting four or more.
- Your anti-virus or anti-spyware program isn’t working right, stops working all together, or keeps giving you error messages.
- There are new listings in your favorite menu that you didn’t put there yourself. When you try to delete them they keep coming back every time.
- Your computer seems to be lagging or runs really slow compared to normal. It takes so much longer than normal to get tasks accomplished and things to open or close.
- The lights are flashing on your modem or your online connection flashes even when you are not using online programs or games.
- If you have dial up, your phone bill has expensive calls on it you didn’t make or is extraordinarily high.
If you think you have spyware on your computer, then you will want to get rid of it as soon as you suspect it. Always make sure your anti-virus is up to date and run it frequently if it has an anti-spyware program built into it. Most companies offer this feature today with their software. You will have one of two types of programs if this is included in your package. You either have the type of software that will catch the spyware as it tries to get onto your machine and stop it from installing immediately. This is a great feature to have on your anti-virus software. This will keep your machine spyware free and is worth it. You could have the type of anti-virus that only detects spyware when you run a scan. If this is the case and you frequent the net often you will want to run at least one scan per day to keep your computer spyware free. Many spyware programs get downloaded to your machine with out you even knowing it. All it takes is for you to enter a specific web site or click a link and it is being downloaded right under your nose. Make sure to perform a scan before shutting off your computer each day; it is a good routine to have.
If you are not one of those people who have the software built into your computer then you will need to download it. There are plenty of wonderful anti-spyware programs out there to choose from. If you are going to only get the free version of particular software download several programs. Some may scan for thing the others do not. Most of them are also inexpensive to buy and work great. Make sure to run them several times per day or at least once. This will keep your machine clean of spyware.
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