What is  spyware

Spyware is software which is mostly written so its authors can find out about you, where you live, what you like to do on your computer, and where you go on the Web. Why do they care? Because they can make money from that information.

Some experts said that spyware is "uninvited, unwanted, stealthful, invasive, annoying, exploitive, and potentially privacy-compromising PC add-on software whose ongoing presence in millions of PCs worldwide benefits not the computer's owner and operator, but the interests of the publishers of this troubling new class of software.

Why Is spyware  Bad so that we have tp get rid of it?

Spyware is considered malware (malicious software) because it installs itself on your computer without your knowledge. Then it watches your computer habits, compromising your privacy.

Spyware is also annoying because it pushes unwanted advertising at you. Pop-up ads appear out of nowhere on your desktop. And because it is spying on you, it pushes ads at you that it thinks you'll click on.

If that's not enough, spyware can clog your system's memory and use space on your hard drive, causing performance slowdowns. It can get so cloggy that it'll make your computer unusable.

Some spyware programs can even capture your keystrokes and send them to a third party. This can potentially expose your user IDs and passwords to thieves.

How Does Spyware install your Computer?

Most spywares come from Internet Downloads that might Contain Spyware

Here are the kinds of files that you can download from the Internet that might contain spyware:

• Toolbars for your desktop or web browser
• Free games, puzzles, or other interactive entertainment
• Free screensavers or animated characters for your computer's desktop
• Free pop-up blocker programs
• Files downloaded from file-sharing services

Note: Not all free downloads contain spyware. Many programmers release their programs free for the good of the Internet community and they are spyware-free.

How Do I Know If I Have Spyware?

• Sluggish PC performance
• Weird pop-up ads
• New toolbars you can't delete
• Unexpected changes to your homepage settings
• Internet connections go awry

Get rid  Spyware

Here are a series of tasks that should take no more than 10 minutes each. When complete you'll be a lot less vulnerable to spyware.

1.Download a Free Anti-spyware Program

Spyware can be detected and cleansed with an anti-spyware program. It works similarly to an antivirus program except that its purpose is to keep your system free of spyware and adware.

The good news is there are many anti-spyware programs out there. The bad news is there are many anti-spyware programs out there. It's hard to choose the good from the bad. Some are great, some are not, and some are really awful and don't do much except find your cookies and flash overanxious alerts at you. So what to do?

The three products I recommend you use to protect your system are

• Microsoft AntiSpyware
• Spybot Search & Destroy
• Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition

Microsoft AntiSpyware overview

Windows Defender (Beta 2) is a free program that helps protect your computer against pop-ups, slow performance, and security threats caused by spyware and other unwanted software. It features Real-Time Protection, a monitoring system that recommends actions against spyware when it's detected, and a new streamlined interface that minimizes interruptions and helps you stay productive 

Download from microsoft

2,Increase Browser Security Settings

In Internet Explorer set your security settings to medium or high. This provides you with a reasonable amount of security as you surf the Web and you'll see a warning if anything tries to download to your computer without your permission. To set this up follow these steps:

• Open Internet Explorer. 
• Click the Tools menu and select Internet Options.
• Choose the Security tab.
• Click the Internet icon in the Web Content Zone box.
• Click the Default Level button and a vertical slider appears
•  Move the slider to the Medium or High setting.

3,Run Windows Update Frequently

Run Windows Update every week. This service downloads all the latest security fixes for Windows to your computer. If you have Windows XP, ensure you download and install Service Pack 2 and turn on automatic updates so your computer automatically downloads the critical fixes for you.