Spyware is malware that gets in your computer and does a lot of nasty things. Not only can it record your browser history, make your computer work really slow, and make you have random pop-ups while browsing, it can steal your identity. Because of these possibilities, it is vital that you do whatever you can to prevent spyware from getting inside your computer and erasing it if it has already made a home within your computer.

Making sure that you don’t get any spyware in the future and getting rid of any you have now is done by getting a spyware removal program. You can get them for free from trusted sources such as Ad-Aware by Lavasoft. You can also buy them for around $50. When searching for a free solution, watch out for online advertisements offering spyware removal as they may be spyware in disguise.

Yes, you’re going to need software if you don’t want spyware. But there are also things that you should do by yourself to keep it from your computer…

Make sure to always update your browser and your OS. You should also consider getting a browser that not many people have. If you happen to be using Internet Explorer, consider switching to another browser.

You’re going to want to avoid P2P file sharing networks because some automatically place spyware in your computer and you have a chance of getting spyware if you download something from one of these file sharing programs.

Be sure to download programs/files from websites that you trust. This is important to keep in mind when you are downloading movies or music (free movie and music downloads have a good chance of installing spyware on your computer).

The settings on your internet security should be at the medium level, if not higher. You can adjust these settings by going to the tools section of your internetbrowser.

To make sure that someone can’t get remote access to your computer, you’re going to want a firewall installed.

Do not install a free toolbar from an online company, which you’ve never heard of before. The toolbar may very well be spyware in disguise. It is best to download toolbars from trusted companies, such as Google.

Reading the privacy statements and license agreements of things that you download is oft-mentioned advice for the prevention of spyware. You can save yourself some time from having to do this by only downloading from sources that you know and trust.