Spyware is malicious software that is installed on a computer without the users even knowing about it. These programs are designed to spy on the computer's activity. The presence of these programs is usually hidden from the users, and they save all of the information that the computer processes so a third party can review the data at a later time. Although some businesses employers and schools use these spyware programs to monitor their users, the majority of spyware programs secretly work their way into the computers' memory banks through unscrupulous ways, such as viruses and hacked programs disguised as videos or games. Spyware is 99% of the time produced for malicious prepossess, and it can cause the computer to randomly stop responding and run much slower than normal. Sometimes spyware programs even changes the computer's default settings and causes the appearance of unwanted pop-up windows.
Because more people now spend a lot more time online, Spyware has become a major head ache with, and many software designers have designed spyware-blocking software to fight back against these unscrupulous programs. Spyware blocking software works by deleting the spyware and preventing it from collecting the information it seeks. People wonder how to know if a computer is infected with spyware. Usually, the only fool proof way to know if a system has been exposed to spyware is to run spyware blockers that scan the operating system for these parasitical spyware programs.
Spyware blockers have become a small industry of software development in response to the emergence of spyware. Because most users leave their computers connected to the internet at all hours, spyware has become quite prevalent on today's computers, and it sneaks its way onto computers through online downloads and shady websites that offer free programs to the computer then it enters the site. The only way to prevent these horrible programs from entering the system is to run spyware blocking software on all computers that access the internet. Running these spyware blocking programs has become the industry's standard security practice for protecting computers, especially those running Microsoft Windows.
The problem has actually become so serious that the race to design the newest spyware and anti-spyware has become sort of a war. Because there are so many new anti-spyware programs, hackers and under-ground software designers are constantly trying to design a new, undiscovered spyware that will slip through the anti-spyware detection. Because the online "landscape" is constantly evolving, new spyware programs, which are essentially unwanted viruses, continue to pop up on computers across the world. The anti-spyware industry routinely seeks out the newest spyware programs and then designs programs that recognize and block the new spyware. The best way to ensure that a computer is protected is to install regular updates from anti-spyware manufacturers to keep the system protected from the latest online threats. Many of these spyware programs do more than just monitor activity, they compile loads of personal information and surfing habits which are illegally used to steal identities.
Many of the newest antispyware programs have evolved into real-time protection programs that constantly monitor your computer against any new threats from programs that do not have the authority to be in your system. These real-time protection programs keep your computer safe by actively preventing any unwanted programs from being installed on your computer, and they continuously monitor the computer's system to make sure no new threats have arrived.
Malware Blocking and Removal Software
By: Mike Rothwell
