Kinds of Spyware

Adware

Adware is one of the most prevalent types of spyware. As you browse the Web, it records your activities to determine your interests and hobbies. Afterward, the adware sends this information to its developers who use it to bombard your computer with advertisements related to your online activities. Unlike other forms of spyware, however, adware is usually easy to delete.

In the mid-2000s, scareware was not a great concern among computer security experts. As of 2011, however, it is one of the fastest-growing forms of spyware. According to McAfee, which has a number of malware removal tools, scareware makers and other cyber criminals earned an astounding $300 million in 2010. Scareware is so lucrative because it falsely scares computer owners into believing that their computers have serious infections and that purchasing their program is the only way to remove the threat. The irony is that the scareware program is the infection. Once scareware invades a computer, it is difficult to remove.

A keylogger is a program that records your keystrokes. Spouses, parents and employers use them to record their workers' and relatives' online activities. However, disreputable companies also use them to harvest sensitive information, such as credit card and Social Security numbers. Unlike other forms of spyware, keyloggers often hide out in the computer's background, so the computer owner won't know that it is running until they scan their computer.

There are many ways to prevent spyware. The most important way is to regularly update your browser and operating system. Doing so will close security holes, by which spyware and other computer threats can enter your computer. Another way is to scan programs and files for malicious attachments before downloading them. Spyware often attaches itself to such files, and you will get an infection if you download them.

Remove spyware with security programs, such as Spy Sweeper, McAfee or Symantec. Keep these programs regularly updated, and run them in Windows "Safe Mode." Some forms of scareware, however, only delete via a computer reformat.