• Spyware is any application that tracks your online behavior without your knowledge or consent.
• Spyware infects 9 out of 10 PCs connected to the Internet and has eclipsed viruses as the #1 threat to online privacy.
• Spyware comes in many forms including adware, Trojans, system monitors, home page hijackers, keyloggers and more.

• The consequences of unidentified spyware can include identity theft, computer corruption, slower Internet access and computer productivity, and increased numbers of pop-up ads.
• Anti-virus software and firewalls do not address the full barrage of spyware attacking PCs today. Spyware can easily bypass anti-virus and firewall protection by piggybacking on legitimate downloads to stealthily install on your system without your knowledge.
• For most PC users, spyware programs are nearly impossible to remove manually because they intertwine with core system functions or programs you want to keep.

Spyware protection software, like anti-virus and firewall software, is essential for all Internet-connected PCs. You're at risk of spyware infection if you:

• Spend even a few minutes on the Internet visiting web sites.
• Download freeware or shareware applications like P2P.
• Share files like music or photos with other users.
• Share your computer with other users.

Spyware has eclipsed viruses as the fastest growing online threat, infecting nearly 90% of Internet connected PCs. Spyware can infect your system in many different ways: visiting a spy-spreading web site, opening a spy-carrying email attachment, downloading a spy as part of another (often "free") software program, etc. Your privacy, and even your identity, is at high risk if you surf the Internet more than one hour a week, share your computer or use file-sharing programs like KaZaa. Traditional anti-virus programs and firewalls don't offer protection from invasive and harmful spyware programs that can manifest themselves in many ways on your PC.

Un-invited, surreptitiously installed, 9 out of 10 PCs are affected by one of the quickest growing and biggest threats to consumers on the Internet. It’s not a computer virus, but it’s intent could be malicious. What is it? It’s spyware.

Spyware refers broadly to programs that can be cleverly installed on your computer without your knowledge. Spyware can track and report your online behavior to third parties along with other PC activities without your permission or knowledge. Spyware can also gather other information deemed more sensitive. In most, but not all cases, spyware piggybacks along with software made available freely to users on the Internet. Chances are, if you’re online, you’ve got Spyware on your PC.

What are the symptoms of spyware? Has your browser’s homepage suddenly changed? Perhaps your PC is running considerably slower than usual. Does it seem like your web browser has a mind of it’s own, or crashes repeatedly. Maybe your Internet connection isn't what it used to be. Perhaps you're getting considerably more pop-up windows lately despite a recent installation of a pop-up stopper? It’s possible, if not likely that the cause is spyware. According to research by the National Cyber Security Alliance, a coalition of online companies and government agencies, on average number of spyware/adware components found on an infected computer (that’s 9 out of 10) was 93 programs. One of the 329 computers was infected by 1,059 spyware/adware components!

Most spyware includes ad software (adware) which usually delivers pop-ups or other advertisements to you based on where you go and what you do online. Spyware can even detour your search results from search engines to include links that are merely masked advertising. Adware usually ties in some form of financial kickback to a third party if your clicks result in a purchase.

There are software utilities that can secretly monitor all your PC usage, which could be installed without your knowledge, but only by a person with access to your computer. This is generally un-common on home PC’s with exception of software installed by parents wishing to monitor their children’s Internet usage, but more common on PC’s in the work place. The real and proliferating threat for most of us is not so menacing as your personal identity is most instances is kept anonymous., but be warned, spyware can greatly diminish your PC’s or Internet connection’s resources at best and could result making you a victim of fraud at worst.

Despite running a hardware and software based fire wall, and anti virus software, I was not immune. When I first ran Web-roots free Spy Audit, I found 672 traces of spyware and 26 unique programs installed without my knowledge. While none of them were particularly malicious, I was glad Web-Root’s $29.95 Spy Sweeper was able to remove and quarantine all of them.

If you're an AOL 9.0. S.E. user or Earthlink customer, you're in luck as these ISP have provided subscribers with anti-spyware tools as recent as October. Additionally McAfee recently released Anti Spyware $29.95 and Norton has announced it will soon release anti-spyware tools in the coming weeks. Including these applications not only insures their customer’s privacy, but also insures that customer’s connections are trouble free, thus reducing their support cost. Several other companies offer spyware scanning and removal utilities, some available freely include Adaware by Lava Software, and Spybot — Search & Destroy by Safer Networking Limited. Note that it’s not a bad idea to have a couple utilities, certainly if they are free because the threat is so prolific, one may find a problem overlooked by another. For instance, Spy Sweeper was able to fine and remove one Spyware app not found by Spybot — Search & Destroy, or Adaware.

You can reduce your risk by carefully reading privacy and licensing agreements on free downloadable software, yes and arduous task for even lawyers in most cases. Credible offerings should label their products spyware and adware free. Again, while most spyware piggybacks on other installed programs, a fair amount of people can find themselves with spyware simply from visiting websites that quietly install the software during your visit.

Your best tool in keeping spyware in check by using some of the freely available spyware auditing and removal utilities or invest in software that can scan, alert and remove spyware in a fashion similar to anti-virus tools.

Bundle these with good anti-virus tools and frequent updates of your operating system and you can keep your Internet connection, and PC experience where you'd like it to be. Free of problems, and under your control.

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