Most computers have spyware or malware of some sort. If you go out on the web without both anti-virus and anti-spyware protection or if your protection is expired or compromised, you probably have spyware on your computer, you probably have hundreds of different kinds. Or thousands. Just this week, I cleaned 1095 different spyware off one computer. It was infernally slow. Ai, yai, yai, our eyes glazed over while waiting for it to boot.
Sometimes spyware doesn’t effect the performance of your computer perceptibly, at least not at first, but often it slows it way, way down. And it always makes your data and personal information insecure.
Many people think their virus software is enough, that it protects against spyware and trojan horses too. This is a dangerous misconception because anti-virus software, for the most part, is only good for removing viruses. It misses most spyware and trojan horses. So it’s imperative that you have both anti-virus and some dedicated anti-spyware protection.
This is what you should do to protect yourself:
1. First download Spy bot (Spy bot Search and Destroy 1.5), Ad-aware (Ad-Aware 2007 7.0.2.5), and Windows Defender. Run them on your machine every week. They are all free. If you are confused about how to download, install, and run them, there are tutorials available to help you. Here’s Spy bot’s tutorial. Here’s Ad-aware’s manual. I used to think that these free anti-spyware were enough. But now, I’ve found as spyware gets more advanced and pernicious, you also need Spyware Doctor. Here’s a link to their site.
Purchase Spyware Doctor Spyware Doctor in addition to Spy bot, Ad-Aware, and Windows Defender. You can set them up to run as often as you want, once a week is often enough. It will also prevent new spyware from being downloaded into your computer.
2. After you’ve cleaned up the spyware, then install a virus software. AVG Personal is a free version. It’s excellent. They also have an anti-spyware utility. You can upgrade both by buying the software.
3. Make sure your Window’s Updates is set for Automatic.
4. Turn on your Windows Firewall. Click the Start button, then Control Panel. Inside the Control Panel, find Security Center. At the bottom of the Security Center page, click Windows Firewall. A Windows Firewall page will open. Click the little circle in front of On (recommended.) At the bottom on the page, Click “Okay.”
If you want more protection from hackers than the Windows Firewall provides, I recommend Zone Alarm’s firewall, which also has a free version, although it can block Internet access if you don’t manage the exceptions well, and may be frustrating, depending on your computer expertise.
Here’s a link to my Self-Help Tutorials.
Or if you’re really desperate click the below Spyware Doctor link. Spyware Doctor will do miracles and keep your computer spyware free. It costs $39.00 so is much cheaper than hiring a tech.
