Free Antivirus Software for Spyware
Spyware has been around for a long time. The first recorded use of the word was as early as 1995, in a Usenet post. Back then, the meaning was slightly different. ‘Spyware’ didn’t get its current meaning until around 2000, when Gregor Freund, founder of Zone Labs, used it in a press release.
Malware is a major problem that can infect computers in government agencies, commercial enterprises, and the user of the personal computer at various levels.
Surveys conducted in 2005 found that 61% of people who responded had some kind of malware on their computer. 92% of these people did not know that it had infected their computer.
As a result of the news and media attention regarding identity theft and credit card fraud, the majority of people are familiar with the importance of good internet security. However, even as recently as 2006, the producers of Spy Sweeper, Webroot, suggested that as many as 90% of computers connected to the internet are infect with adware.
You could point to the Microsoft Windows operating system and Internet Explorer to apportion the blame. However, the problem was more likely the fault of an ActiveX issue.
Before Internet Explorer 7, Microsoft browsers would simply display an installation window and, due to naivete, most users would consider installing to be the correct choice.
The programmers should have foreseen this. And in regards to naivety? Programming IE (Internet Explorer) in a way that makes people assume “all ActiveX installs are harmless” does not exactly illustrate expertise either.
What Can Rogue Software Do?
The negative effects can vary based on the specific type of spyware your computer has picked up. They can harvest information on the websites you frequent, install more destructive or annoying programs, make changes to various settings and options on your computer, and hijack your web browser and make it visit sites that can do even more damage.
Because of this, online security prevention and protection have become a huge industry. In any event, one now has numerous choices available for a spyware scanner purchase. Indeed, some would say that there are too many choices.
You may find the typical good products as well as products that aren’t so good and “rogue spyware products.”
Rogue spyware is exactly as it sounds. Your computer will be infected with a form of malware instead of being protected or cleaned. Sticking with a well known company, like the company that created Webroot Spy Sweeper and Counterspy, Sunbelt Software, is a safer bet.
Everyone has his favorite among the many options on the market. You need to choose carefully, because an infected PC is at the least annoying. At worst, an infected PC makes identity theft more likely.
You should treat spyware as the major concern that it is, and ensure that your PC has the best spyware protection available at a reasonable price.
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