We all get hit with it at some point or another - the infamous slow computer. And most of the time, we have no idea why as it can be caused by a number of different things such as hardware failure, not enough memory, high resource utilization (memory hogs), etc. You might just be surprised however, to learn that more often than not slow computer problems are at least partly, if not mostly attributed to spyware.

Spyware has become so prevalent and so widespread that experts are now saying that over 90% of all Internet users will, at some point, become infected with spyware. Yet over 80% of those users do not have any form of spyware protection on their computer. That being said, how do you know whether or not your computer is infected with spyware?

Let's look at some of the most common symptoms of spyware infection;

- Slow computer
- Annoying popups
- Homepage has changed
- New icons on your desktop
- New toolbar in your internet browser
- No symptoms

Yes, it is true that you could literally show no symptoms of a spyware infection on your computer yet there could be a number of spyware applications recording your keystrokes and browing habits without you knowing it.

Regardless of whether or not you are seeing symptoms that may indicate a spyware infection, the only surefire way to tell if you are infected is to actually scan your computer using proven antispyware software.

Most antispyware software vendors will allow you to download their software and scan your computer for free. This is great because this will tell you without a doubt whether or not you have spyware on your computer.

Or will it?

The problem with this is that the hackers have become so clever that they have created spyware that actually is disguised as antispyware software. Yes, there is software that you can download that will claim to scan and clean your computer, however all it really does is install more spyware so you need to be careful and do your due diligence in selecting to download and run a free scan. Make sure the vendor you choose has a solid reputation and their software is proven to be effective.

After you have downloaded the software and completed an initial scan, you then have the option of purchasing the full version of the software so that you can remove all of the detections. If you do not purchase the full version, you will not have spyware removal capability.

Again, I recommend you do your research before deciding on a spyware remover but you absolutely do need to incorporate antispyware software into your computer security as it is the only proven method for effectively removing spyware.

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In today’s world huge conglomerates survive on computer systems, which often fall prey to different types of computer viruses, worms, spyware and adware which not only wipe out invaluable information but hacks into your personal information exposing you to severe dangers. And not only the companies, even small home users are prone to attacks from the Internet. The threat is so grave that these days there are quite a few cleaner programs that are available to provide safety. These programs protect computers by finding and eliminating these dangerous threats from your system.

There are different types of cleaners that you can get. Some of them work effectively while others are not so good. And some even end up installing adware instead of removing them. And so when you are deciding on a program, you need to do so carefully.

These programs scan your computer to detect files, which resemble spyware and adware. After which the software displays the specifications of these files, which are infected and will ask you whether you would prefer to delete them. Most of the software also give you information on the type, origin and natures of the adware that has caused an infection and help you decide whether you want to have it removed from your system or not.

How do these adware cleaner programs work? They have a huge database from which they derive the information on different kinds of malicious codes. While scanning, the program matches the codes to those present in the database. And this is how it finds out files containing spyware codes and removes them. It should be noted that all spyware are harmful and should be cleaned from your system. However Adwares are not always harmful. But it is still better to get rid of them. Some programs will not let you delete one but will let you to quarantine them.

They are dynamic, and newer ones are being added constantly. And so once you have an adware cleaner, you need to update it on a regular basis so that it is ready to fight the latest entrants and provide you with adequate protection.

Did You Know That Most Adware Cleaners Don't Work. These are the ones that do.

Click Here for: Adware Cleaner Tools

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At the outset it may seem why should you, first of all, get rid of spyware and what, by the way, is a spyware. Quite a sensible query indeed.

They basically are files made by unscrupulous publishers and surreptitiously sent up to a browser's computer to keep track of all his or her online activities, browsing habits, purchasing preferences - all done without the least chance of the browser ever coming to know of it. The results of this surveillance can be very effective for the one conducting it as the catch may throw up the person's credit card number, personal and private data and what not.

"How to get rid of it?" This has become a serious issue now because millions of computers across the world are affected. Unless users can get rid of it, the results can be disastrous. That is why both individuals and companies are always on the look out for them, and want to get rid of it as soon as they come up. But asking the question... how to get rid of it might be easy, doing the job may be more difficult than this.

Actually, there are quite a few moderately priced as well as free application software's available that can do the job. So do some study to find a program that offers the results and download it to your computer. Then use the get rid of spyware program to scan all the files in your machine and find whether there are any malicious codes or not. When detected, usually the program will either quarantine them or delete them. But a history of the code will also be kept for future reference.

To get rid of it and keep your computer that way, it is best that you should run the program from time to time. Perhaps once every week. No, the Internet is not a safe place anymore. When you are online regularly, there are many threats that can come home, and spywares are one of them. Get rid of it to keep your life simple and safe.

Click Here to: Get Rid of Spyware

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Barton

Do you want to know how to remove Trojan? Let us tell you that you are not alone. There are thousands of computer users across the world who wants to know how to remove Trojan and fight the threat they pose. The fact is, over the years Trojans have come to become an absolute an absolute nuisance, not only harassing people on the computers but also threatening their security and slowing down the PC's. Knowing how to remove Trojan is thus the first important step to try and prevent this from happening.

As mentioned above, knowing how to remove Trojan is not the battle won. You will then actually need to remove it if your system is already infected, which is the case in so many of all cases. But that is also not the full story. You will also need to ensure that there are no more threats in the future - whenever a Trojan is trying to gain entry, you should be able to identify it and stop this from taking place.

Luckily, there are many tools available that can help you do this. But the question is how and where do you find one, because not all are as effective as they ought to be. This question was paramount in our mind too, and so, we started an investigation to seek an answer to the question how to remove Trojan and finding the best tools that could do it quickly and effectively.

And the results that we got were very surprising. We found that quite a few less popular tools were actually more effective than the so called best ones. We have now published our findings here, along with a list of these tools that can help you too to find an answer for how to remove Trojan. So stop asking the question - here are tools that can actually help you find answers. Getting rid of Trojan is a top priority for all those who visit the Internet, because really, you can never know when the next attack will be. So take guard. Leverage these tools and lead an easier online life.

Click Here to Remove Trojans

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Barton

A malware is a virus or a spyware, which is derived from the words malicious software. A malware removal software detects and removes viruses, spywares and worms from the system. Computers having Windows operating system are particularly vulnerable because the malwares can cause a lot of harm. There are such quite a few malware removal software's that provide the security computers need. This malware removal software scans computers having Windows 2000, Windows XP, and also Windows 2000. The malware removal software solutions remove any kind of infected files including codes like blaster, sasser and mydoom.

The software notifies the user if it has detected any malware and removes it immediately. After the malware removal software removes the spyware it gives a report mentioning the type of code that has been removed and what kind of harm could it inflict to the computer. As a user, it is imperative that you have malware removal software installed, and scan your computer at regular intervals.

A malware removal software can be downloaded online. The malware removal software gets downloaded when you download a Windows update in your computer. It is essential that you must run the updated version of the malware removal software every month. But otherwise too, there are some very fine malware removal software options that do a very fine job.

Computers often function normally even when they contain spywares. But the fact is, at the backend the problem may remain. This is why you should always run malware removal software even if the system seems normal. And so, always use an updated version of the malware removal software. But mind it, the computer may slow down after installing it, and if it does, there is no reason to increase your system's memory. You can actually run the anti malware software's online without installing it.

However malware removal software's should be enabled with all the essential features that can make it a perfect anti malware tool. You must learn about all the features either from the vendor or from websites that gives reviews of the software present in the market.

Click Here for Malware Removal Software

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Barton

There are many free malware removal tools available on the market, but beware of "false positives", and this is what I mean...

You download free trial copy of malware removal software to perform a scan of your computer system, when you run the first scan it displays lists of spywares that it claims to be present on your system. The list includes viruses, spywares, adwares and so on, that are, in fact, not present on your computer, but are present in the malware software database itself. This is known as false positives and there are numerous malware software vendors that trick unsuspecting consumers in this way.

The aim is to create a panic so you can buy their product for protection. Don't be fooled, be careful before you install this type of malware protection. Do a bit of research online, or read reviews from previous users.

Malware detection and removal is a lucrative business for companies that create these removal software, so in an attempt to lure you into buying their products you get tricked into thinking that your computer is infected with ghost malwares.

Also, some free removal software can be very difficult to uninstall from your system once you install them. This can be another problem on its own in that whenever you start your computer, the software automatically begins its fake scanning, and if you are not good at software installation or removal it might be very difficult to get it removed from your system.

Not all free trial software are rogues, there are reliable free software online but you must know where to look and how to evaluate them. Conduct a thorough research online, a simple Google query on the product name might be helpful.

Beware of flashing banners on web pages that claim your computer has been scanned and is infected with malwares. This is another popular way unsuspecting consumers are tricked into downloading unreliable malware protection software onto their machine.

Best Free Malware Removers

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Malware Explained

Malware is still a relatively uncommon term, and is not familiar to many lay users of computer software. Essentially, the term refers to any kind of software that is created with the malicious intent of harming the host computer or carrying out unauthorized installations and procedures without the knowledge of the user.

Malware also refers to spyware and adware that conducts surreptitious operations on a computer. Malware is different from viruses, but they both share the common origin of being created with the specific intention of causing harm to the host computer. A legitimate program that you install which does not run properly because it has defects is not malware.

Malware programs are more frequent in installations that users perform themselves, such as peer to peer applications, than in installations from purchased software. Some of the most common ways in which malware installs itself on your computer is through Trojan horses and rootkits.

Trojan horses, as the term implies, are harmful installations which are hidden in seemingly innocuous installations. While running these installations seems harmless, what the user does not realize is that malware is also covertly installing itself at the same time.

Apart from installations, malware also needs to keep itself concealed so that is can continue to work on your computer, and this is where rootkits come in. Rootkits ensure that the malware installed on your computer remains undetectable, and that it does not show up in your list of system processes.

Advanced rootkits also fight any attempts to remove them. For example, a malware program may create simultaneous 'ghost' versions of itself, and whenever it detects that one of the 'ghosts' has been deactivated or deleted, the original program quickly defends itself by creating replacements for the deactivated or deleted files.

Some of the commonly known malware installations include Blaster, Sasser, and Mydoom.

Another kind of unauthorized software that is similar to malware has been termed grayware. Unlike malware, grayware is not harmful, and usually stops at being merely annoying. Grayware includes advertisements on your computer that you have not authorized, and joke programs that serve to irritate the user rather than actually harm the computer.

These can be quite tedious in themselves and also are usually as difficult to get rid of as malware, and are therefore classified along with it.

In addition, such software can also compromise the security of your computer and make your system vulnerable to harmful installations. Grayware and malware can also get into your system through unauthorized codes from devices on your USB ports, and homogeneity in terms of access to your administrative network.

Since it is practically impossible to prevent malware from installing itself on your system, it is best to routinely check your system for malware by using an anti-malware system such as Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool. This program is compatible with Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003, and can determine the nature of specific malware installations as well as assist you in removing them from your system.

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Is your computer infected with malware? This could be a major problem but don't fret, if you take the proper steps you should have no problem removing malware from your computer. I would recommend getting it out ASAP as malware can pose a serious threat to your computer and your privacy.

Malware is a malignant program that will install itself on your computer without your permission. Malware can come in many different forms such as viruses, worms, trojan horses, adware, and most dangerously - spyware. I say spyware is the most dangerous form of malware because while the others can mess up your computer and slow it down, spyware does that AND steals private information such as credit card numbers and passwords.

If your computer is infected with any or all types of malware you need to remove it quickly and efficiently.

There are essentially two general methods for removing malware out of your system

1. Target the malware program and use the "Add/Remove" feature to uninstall it

2. Install an anti spyware/malware program to do the job for you.

I don't really recommend performing option #1 . Malware can mask itself pretty well and because it can take on so many different forms, unless you are an absolute expert it is nearly impossible to eliminate all of it. You could also accidentally remove a necessary system file which can mess your computer up even worse!

I recommend acquiring a program that detects and eliminates all forms of malware including spyware, adware, and other dangerous viruses. You can visit my website to see after careful research, what program I consider the #1 rated malware remover on the net. Come have a look and you will be removing malware out of your computer in no time!

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