Adware And Spyware Anti Virus

Adware, Spyware and Anti-virus - What are the Differences?

Almost all computer users are familiar with the many irritations that are associated and caused by adware, spyware and computer viruses. Let’s differentiate between the three.

First on our agenda to look at is Spyware. These software programs are not intentionally created to harm your computer. What they do is create pathways wherein someone else aside from the computer owner can communicate with the computer. Spywares will work to record the many different types of web sites you visit, which are then later used by web advertisers to know what kind of unsolicited emails and pop-ups to send to your computer.

This is why spyware is usually frowned on and often greatly avoided. They are also more intrusive than adware. Spyware also has their own separate executable programs which may allow them to record your keystrokes, scan files on your hard disks and look at other applications that you use, including but not limited to, chat programs, cookies and Web browser settings.

Once the spyware program collects the information, it will then send it back to the spyware author. When the company gets the information back from the spyware programmer or agent they can use it towards further promotional purposes. Another reason why people hate spyware is because the information it gathers is often sold to other companies.

Next on our list is Adware, which unlike spyware is a more legitimate form of freeware. Similar to spyware, adwares are advertising materials which are packaged into software and various programs that can be installed automatically once that particular program or software is added into the computer system. You should also be aware that there are some adware’s which will download ads while you are using certain programs on your computer. It is quite unfortunate that most of the adware programs take on the form of spywares, that is, they track and report user information to program authors.

Some signs of spyware infections include pop-up ads that seem to not be related to the site you are viewing. Too often, pop-ups are more of an adult theme and can be very distasteful and often hard to get rid of. Another thing to watch out for, is if your computer begins to slow down and perform in an unusual way, it could mean spyware has found it’s way into your system. Or, if you notice your Windows desktop beginning to take longer to load, that can also be a good indication that you need to check for spyware infections.

The third topic on our list to discuss is computer viruses, which are always designed to be very harmful to your computer. Someone, somewhere designed a program to create chaos and possibly even destroy the data on your computer. They destroy whatever they were written to destroy, may also initiate self-replication and infect as many components of the computer’s operating system or network as possible.

Often today, a lot of anti-virus software programs also provide spyware and adware scanning removal utilities. There are special anti-virus programs available too, that will locate, delete and destroy any spyware or adware programs they find. Whether it is anti-virus or anti-spyware software dedicated scanner, they both search your computer and identify any spyware or virus installed on your system.

After they locate it, not only will they remove it, they will rid your system of any other intrusive components found within your computer. There are literally thousands of spyware programs and viruses on the internet and some in the shared media, therefore it is vital that you consistently make it a habit to update your anti-virus scanning software on a regular basis. You should also take notice of programs which make claims to offer only adware, as that often is not true.

Keep in mind that adware is sometimes actually spyware in disguise, so don’t be fooled by their claims. By learning to use your Internet Explorer pop-up blockers and set up some type of hardware or software firewall to protect your system data files, you will be on the road to keeping your system safer from harms way.