Protecting yourself against spyware is no simple task. First, you have to be able to identify exactly what spyware is. Then you need to be knowledgeable enough to know which tools can protect you — and when their warning of infections can be safely ignored. And finally, you should know precautions that you can take to keep from getting spyware in the first place.
Q: What’s the Difference Between Spyware, Malware, and Viruses?
Spyware, as its name suggests, involves some element of eavesdropping on your activities while online. That eavesdropping can cover a range of activities, from logging your keystrokes to tracking your Internet activities or noting the Web sites you visit so that advertisers can push targeted ads at you.
Computer viruses, strictly speaking, are computer programs that mimic organic viruses in that once they infect your computer, they can spread throughout the machine or infect other computers with which you have contact. Before the Internet became popular, viruses were spread by sharing infected floppy disks or CDs. Now, viruses can be spread much more easily and quickly over the Internet or through files transmitted by e-mail.
Malware is a more general category that can include both spyware and viruses but more specifically refers to any software that is created to do harm to you, your computer, or other computers with which you have a connection.
Q: How Often Should I Run My Anti-Spyware Software?
A: If you’re using one of the free anti-spyware tools, run it at least every month, more frequently if you tend to visit sites from which spyware is typically contracted, particularly gaming, gambling, and adults-only sites.
Many experts recommend that if you rely upon free anti-spyware programs, you install and run several on a monthly basis. But be sure you stick to the well-known and well-respected programs, such as Ad-Aware SE,…