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Spyware and Virus Removal

The Bad News About Spyware and Viruses

Based on a study done by American Online and the National Cyber Security Alliance [PDF document] it is estimated that 80% of PC users have spyware on their computers. Almost half of the people surveyed didn't know that they have spyware.

The Good News About Spyware and Viruses

There are ways to repair your PC and protect against spyware, viruses, and trojans. Even if you don't think that you have any spyware on your computer, if you are using the Windows operating system and use Internet Explorer, and have never taken any specific precautions against spyware you probably have some spyware on your computer.

Free Spyware and Virus Removal Programs

We no longer offer spyware and virus removal services, but you can use the following free programs to help protect and clean your computer of spyware, trojans, viruses, and other malware.

  1. Windows Update — If you are running Microsoft Windows, this should be your first stop. Download all Windows updates here, and the site will also help you turn on automatic updates for your computers.
  2. Firefox — The second step is to download the Firefox web browser. Do not use Internet Explorer except for Windows updates. Internet Explorer is a major security risk and is riddled with security holes.
  3. Spybot Search and Destroy — This is an excellent program for removing spyware, and it will also immunize your computer against a couple thousand common spyware programs.
  4. AdAware — Lavasoft offers this excellent free program which will scan your computer for spyware. It is best to run both AdAware and Spybot Search and Destroy because each one can find spyware that the other program misses.
  5. ZoneAlarm Firewall — Every computer that runs Windows should have a software firewall on it. ZoneAlarm offers a free firewall which does a good job at blocking intrusion attempts.
  6. AVG Free Antivirus — Many people do not even have an anti-virus program running on their computers. This is a free anti-virus program that does the job well.
  7. Ewido — This is a powerful trojan scanner that will remove a lot of computer threats that other programs miss. There is a 15-day free trial.

The Tweak XP guide is a great place to start to learn more about how to clean up your Windows computer.

Malware Glossary

Malware refers to malicious software — any bad program that you don't want on your computer.

Spyware are malicious programs that install themselves on your computer, often without your knowledge that transmit your personal information to other people.

Viruses are malicious programs that can infect your computer, often through email attachments, that cause damage to your computer.

Trojans are another type of malicious program that masquerade as another program, and can perform all kinds of nasty functions, from downloading spyware to allowing hackers to break into your computer without your knowledge. You can get trojans by using filesharing programs like Kazaa, Limewire, Gnutella, Bearshare, eDonkey, Shareaza, WinMX, Morpheus, eMule, Ares, and others. You can also get trojans by opening certain kinds of email attachments, or by downloading certain "free programs".