Spyware is a type of computer malware or malicious program that can send personal information from your computer two a third party somewhere else on the Internet. This information can include passwords and browser history. Since spyware presents a threat to both your computer and your personal information, detecting and removing it is an important part of PC security.

Antivirus Detection

Antivirus software should be used to provide a first line of defense against malicious programs like spyware. If you don't have an antivirus program and you use the Internet, you should get one immediately. If you have an antivirus program and believe you may have spyware on your system, fully update your antivirus program and then run a full system scan for malware. Antivirus programs are designed to detect a wide range of threats like computer viruses, worms and Trojans in addition to spyware and adware; you may end up detecting threats besides spyware when conducting your scan. When your scan is complete, remove any threats that are discovered.

Spyware Detectors

Perhaps the best way to detect spyware is to use a spyware detector to supplement your normal antivirus program. Since antivirus programs aren't designed specifically to find spyware, they may not always detect spyware threats. Spyware scanners, on the other hand, are designed specifically to detect spyware and adware that may be able to hide itself from or fool normal antivirus programs. There are several free spyware scanning tools that can be downloaded for free on the Internet, including Spybot Search & Destroy, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, and Ad-Aware. You can even run scans using several different spyware detectors to increase the changes of detecting threats. Another option is to search for a program that is designed to detect and remove a specific spyware threat. This should be done if you think you have been infected by a well-known or widely spread spyware program since many Internet security software companies release tools to deal with specific well-known threats. Similar to antivirus programs, spyware detectors must be updated before scanning to get the best results.

Due Diligence

The Internet is filled with legitimate programs, websites and files that can be accessed for free, but there are also some programs, websites and files that attempt to spread spyware. Oftentimes spyware programs are hard to differentiate from legitimate programs. Before downloading a new program, conduct some research online such as reading user reviews to make sure it is legitimate. Spyware is sometimes bundled with programs that claim to serve a legitimate purpose but do not actually function as stated. If you find out that you have installed a program that is known to be spyware, you should remove the program and find a legitimate alternative.

Source:

Microsoft Support on Spyware

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