You have probably heard of spyware before, but it isn’t a term that many people know it’s meaning. We all know it’s a bad thing, but it’s important you understand what spyware is and why it has gotten such a bad rap.

Put simply, spyware refers to various programs and software that gets installed on your computer without you knowing. These programs then go on to cause “malicious” activity - some examples of this are:

1) Steal your personal data or personal information. Certain spyware programs will “spy” on what you are typing and all the information you have stored on your system.

2) Add all sorts of extra programs and add-ons to your computer which you haven’t authorized. This is usually used to monitor your online activity and will cause your computer to run a lot slower than usual.

3) When you are online, you are redirected to certain websites that have other harmful files such as viruses or other infections.

4) Without you being aware, spyware can change the security settings you have on your computer so that your computer is at an increased risk of getting viruses or having personal information stolen.

I could make the list a lot longer, but you get the point - spyware is a pain in the ‘you know what’!

One of the biggest complaints about spyware is how drastically it slows down your computer. You entire systems performance is affected by it.

Wondering how spyware makes it way onto your computer?

It can be difficult to trace back exactly where spyware comes from, but here are some examples of how it can find its way onto your computer:

1) Many shareware and freeware software programs have Spyware built into them. Software such as music/video download programs are normally given away free, and sometimes they come bundled with Spyware.

2) A common way systems get infected is from “utility” type programs that are downloaded and come bundled with some form of spyware. There are all sorts of programs that are offered for free download on the internet - although they may serve a purpose many of them will also install spyware on your system.

3) There are some spyware programs that will try to mimic your operating system’s messages in order to get on your computer.

As an example if you are using Microsoft windows on your computer, a message might popup that looks like it is a message from Microsort. You innocently click on the message and the spyware gets installed.

How can you tell if there’s Spyware on your computer?

Most people will start to notice their computer starts to slow down and they may also get more advertisements popup when they are browsing. Spyware is famous for making computers run a little “sluggish” - this is one of the first signs that your computer is infected.

Apart from the slowing down factor, you cannot really tell if there’s Spyware installed on your system. Many people will just assume something is wrong with the computer hardware when their system slows down, however spyware is often the cause.

You have to take the right steps to kill Spyware now!

Computer experts estimate that 9 out of every 10 computers have some form of spyware installed on them. It’s crucial that you protect your system and personal information by using a top-ranked anti-spyware program.

You need a solid and reliable anti-Spyware program developed by a trusted manufacturer, and you need it as soon as yesterday! Remember, only top-ranked anti-Spyware programs can effectively remove the malicious Spyware from your computer and protect it from future Spyware attacks, so don’t let yourself put it off. A quality anti-spyware program will scan your computer for any existing infections, kill them off, and then protects your system from any future infections.

Click Here to discover how to run a free scan using the top-ranked anti-spyware software. You will also be able to read spyware reviews to discover which software is best suited for your system.