Identify and avoid Spyware

Today, with its popularity, the Internet is becoming a major idea for advertising. As a result, spyware or adware increases rapidly as we have seen. When troubleshooting computer problems, you may find that the root of the problem is that Spyware software is installed on your computer without your knowledge.

What is Spyware?

In fact, Spyware is also understood as 'adware'. It is a type of software that, when installed on a computer, can send pop-up ads, redirect the browser to a website or track the websites you visit. In some cases, Spyware can check exactly which keys you use.

For those activities, Spyware may be the cause of slowing down your computer. There are also Spyware issues that we need to keep in mind like:

• What information is being collected?
• Who is collecting it?
• How is it being done?

How to know if your computer has Spyware?

TipsMake.com offers you some symptoms, based on whether your computer has Spyware installed or not:

1. Pop-up windows show up continuously.
2. Your browser redirects to a different page than the one entered in the address bar.
3. Unexpected new toolbars appear on your browser.
4. Unexpected new icons appear in the Task tray at the bottom right of the screen.
5. The browser homepage has been changed.
6. The search page on the browser when you click on 'search' has also been changed.
7. Some keys are disabled in the browser (for example, the tab key does not work when you need to move to adjacent areas in a form).
8. Windows error messages randomly appear.
9. The computer suddenly slows down when opening programs or performing processing operations (such as saving files .).

How to prevent Spyware from installing on your computer?

To avoid unwanted installation, you should follow the instructions below:

1. Do not click on links within pop-up windows - because pop-up windows are usually a product of Spyware. When you click on them, you may have accidentally installed this software, so your computer. To close this pop-up window, click on the 'X' icon in the title bar instead of clicking the 'close' link inside the window.
2. Choose 'no' when asked unsolicited questions - Be wary of dialogs asking if you want to run a certain program or perform another task. Always select 'no' or 'cancel' or close the dialog box by clicking on the 'X' icon in the title bar.
   Be cautious with free download software - There are many sites that offer optional toolbars or user-friendly features. You should not download these programs from sites you don't trust and be aware that the action will put your computer at risk of spyware infection.
3. Do not follow email links claiming to provide anti-Spyware software - Like email viruses, links can serve many purposes against and in fact installing Spyware.

If you are worried that your computer has been infected with Spyware, you should follow the instructions below to minimize its impact (if any):

Adjust browser mode to restrict pop-up windows and cookies - Pop-up windows are usually created with some kind of code or active content. Adjusting the settings within the browser can reduce or prevent these scripts and content; thus can reduce the number of pop-ups that appear. Many browsers offer specific options to lock or limit pop-up windows. Sometimes some types of cookies are considered Spyware because they can exploit the websites you have visited. You can also adjust your own settings to allow only the cookies of the websites you are visiting.

How to remove Spyware?

1. Conduct a full scan of your computer with an antivirus software - Some antivirus software will find and remove Spyware, but it may not be found when it is checking your computer in real time. . Therefore you should set up anti-virus software to perform a full scan of your computer periodically.
2. Run software designed specifically for Spyware removal - Many software vendors offer products that allow you to scan your entire computer for Spyware and remove them. The most popular and popular products like Lavasoft's Ad-Aware, Webroot's SpySweeper, PestPatrol, Spybot Search and Destroy.

Van Linh