This Weeks' Topic

Spyware

Are companies illegally collecting personal information from your home computer?

What exactly does spy ware do?

Spy ware tracks which websites you visit. It can also record personal data such as your age, where you live, or your phone number. Marketing companies pay money for this information. However, some spy ware, can steal passwords, bank account numbers and credit card information, and can even lead to identity theft

How does this software get onto someone's computer?

Legal spy ware is piggybacked onto other software that you have installed.

Illegal software sometimes loads on your computer when you close a pop up screen on your computer. This triggers a download of software that installs quietly in the background.

Spy ware can also seriously affect the performance of your computer.

How would someone know if they have spy ware on their computer?

It's also a good idea to check your computer's list of installed programs. Go down the list and write down the name of any program you don't recognize as something you installed yourself. Then run spy ware removal problems.

Free programs that can help get rid of and prevent spy ware:

• Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition
• Spybot Search and Destroy
• Hijack This

Once a computer is cleared of spy ware, how can someone make sure they don't get any more? 

There are several steps to take. Most spy ware removal programs have a detects spy ware trying to install itself, it prevents it. However, you still need to run your spy ware removal problem at least once a month.

A firewall, which is a way to protect a computer from unauthorized access, is another excellent security measure.

Unfortunately, spy ware is a hazard of today's technology, and to prevent the potential for identity theft, you need to be aware of the risks.

Disclaimer
This information is general and may or may not apply to your situation. The information contained on this web site is not to be considered as legal advice. Since no two cases are identical, we recommend that you contact an attorney in your jurisdiction to discuss the specific facts of your case. Furthermore, since statutes and case law change so frequently and due to information provided by other sources, we make no warranty or guarantee concerning the accuracy of the content of this or any other web sites to which we link.