Spyware protection

Spyware is probably the most common threat to your computer today. Most spyware will probably not cause your system to crash, become unusable, or delete files. However, spyware can be very dangerous to your financial information and personal information. If a large number of individual spyware accumulate on your system, your system may slow down considerably.

Spyware often come attached to some legitimate software. They can also be "caught" by visited certain rogue websites. Once spyware is on your system, it collects information on your computer usage and files. Then this information is sent back to the creator via the internet.

Today all computers that are on the internet should have spyware protection. Luckily there are great free spyware protection programs available. It is not in most people's best interest to waste money on commercial spyware removal programs as the commercial programs are not better than the free ones.

Two of the best freeware anti spyware programs are called Spybot Search and Destroy by Safer Networking and Windows Defender by Microsoft. Spybot is completely free to any non corporate entity and works on all versions of Windows. Windows defender works on Windows XP and Vista. It comes with Vista and can be downloaded for XP if you can pass the Windows Genuine Advantage check. Both Spybot and Windows Defender remove basically the same kind of threats, although Spybot removes tracking cookies while Windows Defender does not. Ad-Aware 2007 is another good free anti-spyware program by Lavasoft that can be installed in conjunction with either Spybot or Windows defender. Using all three Spybot, Windows Defender, and Ad-Aware together will provide you with the best spyware protection bar none, paid or free protection. The disadvantage is that you will have to perform three different scans. Spy Sweeper offers very effective protection in a single scan, however, it costs $29.95.

Installation Instructions:

Spybot installation instructions .

Tutorial Videos:

1. Using Spybot.
2. Automating Spybot with Scheduled Tasks