Q

How do I know if I have Spyware on my computer and ,if I do, how do I identify and remove it?

A

If you have Spyware on your computer, you will probably be noticing some of the following symptoms:

  • Your home page changes on its own.
  • You can not change settings in your browser.
  • Your search results seem strange.
  • You have toolbars on your web browser that you did not install.
  • You are getting a lot more popups.
  • Your browser suddenly starts crashing.

If you have any of these symptoms then you most likely have a some sort of Spyware installed on your computer.

Another way of detecting spyware is to use a Spyware removal program routinely; it will search through your computer and identify and remove any spyware it finds.

Removing Spyware from your PC

A word of caution before you use any of these programs. Spyware is sometimes tightly integrated into other legitimate programs that you use and disabling them could cause those programs to no longer function properly. For example, Kazaa, which is a popular file sharing service, installs spyware into your computer when you install it. By removing this spyware, Kazaa will no longer work. In our opinion, removing the spyware and preserving your privacy is more important than using the programs that install them, but it is ultimately your choice to decide which is more important.

The following Spyware removal programs have excellent reputations:

Installing and Using Spybot Search & Destroy

Begin by downloading SpyBot Search & Destroy

SpyBot works very similar to a Virus Program, where it has definitions of identified spyware, and it will search your computer for it allowing you to delete it.

Once you have downloaded it, install it on your computer. During the install it will prompt you with an "Additional Language" option, you do not need to install this.

Once it's done installing, load the program from your Start Menu.
Click the "Search for Updates" button to make sure that your version is up to date.
(Before you click the "Search for Updates" button be sure you are connected to the internet via you dial-up account, otherwise it may simply report there are no updates available.)

Download the updates and allow them to install. The program may restart, and once it does you are ready to search your computer for spyware.

Select "Search & Destroy" on the upper left and click the "Check for problems" to begin the search.

Once the search is complete, click the "Fix selected problems" button on the top of the window. This will remove the spyware form your computer.

Depending on the type of spyware on your computer, and whether it is running in the background or not, SpyBot may prompt you to do a search on your next restart. If this is the case, close the program and restart your computer, SpyBot will do another search for spyware before it loads back into Windows after you restart, then you can merely "Fix the selected problems" again.

Select "Immunize" on the left and hit the "Immunize" button to immunize your computer.

The Immunize feature uses the list of identified spyware, and prevents any previously detected spyware to be reinstalled on your computer. However, this does not prevent any new forms of spyware to be installed on your computer.

Run the immunize option several times just to be sure that it found everything.

Within that same window, there is an option to "Permanently Block Bad Downloads". Enable this option to prevent any identified Spyware from automatically entering your computer while you are browsing the Internet.

The spyware has been removed from your computer. If you do a lot of work on the internet, we recommend running this program at least once a week. Also, be sure to keep your definitions up to date.

Installing and using Ad-aware

Begin by downloading Ad-aware

Once downloaded, double click the file "aawsepersonal.exe" to install Ad-aware.

When it has finished installing, you will see the following screen.
Make sure the "Perform full system scan now" and "Update definitions file now" options are checked off and click "Finish".

This will commence the update portion of the program.
Click the "Connect" button to perform the update to Ad-aware.
(Before you click the "Connect" button be sure you are connected to the internet via you dial-up account, otherwise it may simply report there are no updates available.)

If there is a new reference file avilable, you will be notified.
Click the "Ok" button.

Once the update is completed the System Scan will begin immediately.
When the scan has completed, you will be shown a summary of the number of files scanned and the amount of spyware found.
Proceed by clicking the "Next".

Check off the boxes next to the objects which you want removed and click the "Next" button.

A confirmation box will appear informing you that those items you checked off will be removed. Click "Ok" to proceed.

The items will be "Quarantined" and then "Deleted" from your system. When this has completed, you will be returned to the main/status panel.

Again, if you do a lot of work on the internet, we recommend running this program at least once a week. Also, be sure to keep your definitions up to date.

Performing these scans periodically should maintain your computer relatively free of spyware. However, it will not guarantee that you have identified and removed all of the spyware on your computer. There of some versions of spyware that are so pernicious and resistant to removal that even these programs will not be successful in removing them. If you are unfortunate enough to have become a victim of this type of spyware, your only option may be to have a professional look at your computer.
 
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