What is spyware or adware and how can I remove it?

Spyware is computer software, also called Adware that hides itself somewhere on your computer collecting personal information about yours without your knowledge and/or consent, usually for advertising purposes. Spyware applications are typically bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware, such as KaZaa, LimeWire, iMesh, BearShare, etc…

Spyware monitors your activity on the Internet, possibly including email addresses, passwords, or credit card numbers and transmits that information, in the background, to someone else. Other kinds of spyware make changes to your computer that can be annoying and can cause your computer to become sluggish and cause programs to crash or freeze. These programs also make it very difficult for you to change your settings back to the way you originally had them.

Whenever you install something on your computer, make sure you carefully read all disclosures, including the license agreement and privacy statement. Sometimes the inclusion of unwanted software in a given software installation is documented, but it might appear at the end of a license agreement or privacy statement.

Some telltale signs of computer spyware or adware infection are:
• Your computer is dialing up numbers on its own that show up on your phone bill.
• Advertisements pop up even when you are offline.
• Your bookmarks change on their own.
• System slows to a crawl due to several spyware programs using up your memory resources.
• Additional browser toolbars that you did not install on your system.
• You click on a link to go to one site, but your browser gets hijacked and you end up at another site.

Anti-spyware Tools:
Lavasoft Ad-aware

http://www.lavasoftusa.com

Spybot Search & Destroy

http://www.safer-networking.org

CWShredder

http://www.trendmicro.com/cwshredder

AVG Anti-virus

http://www.grisoft.com

Avast Anti-virus

http://www.avast.com

Trend Micro Housecall

http://housecall.trendmicro.com

Panda ActiveScan

http://www.pandasoftware.com

BitDefender Online Virus Scan

http://www.bitdefender.com

Microsoft Windows Defender

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx