Stopping Spyware

One of the most annoying problems with the internet these days has to be spyware. If you're not familiar with the term, it refers to a class of software that is generally installed without your consent and can report to a third-party as to what you do with your computer. Most people are a little uneasy at the thought of their private information being transmitted around the world without their knowledge, and spyware also tends to consume massive amounts of resources, slowing down your computer to a crawl and sometimes making it unable to run at all.

How can you tell if your computer has been infected with spyware? Toolbars appearing on your browser that you never requested are one sign, as are random pop-up advertisements. (Note that many pop-ups are just a result of browsing the web and have nothing to do with spyware.) Your computer may behave oddly or take a long time to perform tasks that were much quicker before. Your browser home page might change without being told to, or you could be continually redirected to the wrong website. All of these things indicate that you've been attacked by spyware.

No two ways about it, the best way to handle the issue is to prevent it from starting. Spending a little time upfront to make sure you don't end up with a mess on your hands is more than worth the trouble. Here are a few tips to keep your computer running smoothly and safely.

Switch browsers if you're using Internet Explorer. This could be worth an article in itself. Internet Explorer is notorious for having security flaws big enough to drive a tanker through. Try Opera or Firefox--they both contain more features and are more secure than IE.
Don't click on embedded links in your email or assume that any email you get is actually from who it says it is from.
Avoid clicking on pop-up windows. Some of the more annoying ones are designed to look like Windows error messages, and promise to help you fix your machine if you click it.
Be particularly cautious if you visit less reputable sites, such as pornography or warez (illegal software). These people are not looking out for your best interests and are more likely to embed spyware into their pages.
Read--or at least skim--those agreements everyone just clicks through when they install a new program. Sometimes you give permission for the spyware to be installed. Kazaa is a fantastic example of this. Be aware that removing the added programs may hinder your ability to use the program.
Run removal programs regularly. Luckily, two of the best aids in removing spyware are free. I use both Lavasoft's AdAware and Spybot's Search and Destroy on a regular basis to make sure that there's no spyware on my system. Spybot also contains a feature that monitors system changes to prevent rogue applications from being installed.