Tuesday, July 17, 2012

How to Use Anti-Spyware Utilities to Completely Eliminate Spyware From Your Computer

Nowadays, it is rare to find a computer user who is not "wired" or does not have access to the Web. And he or she might have ample reasons to do so; as useful as the Internet is, oftentimes it does you more harm than good as it can undermine the security and efficiency of your PC or laptop. Every time you log into the Internet, you put your computer at the mercy of various online threats and hacking attempts. The firewall utility that comes along with your Windows operating system (OS) can shield you from hacking incursions but it can't protect your PC or laptop from spyware and viral infections. If you wish to completely eliminate spyware and other malware from your computer's system, you should install capable anti-spyware and antimalware applications in it. You will need to heed the advice of antivirus software reviews in selecting the right anti-spyware tool for your PC or laptop.
You might not notice it at first, but your PC or laptop may have been infected by spyware and malware. You observe the main symptoms of viral and spyware infection, namely, frequent reboots or crashing, the appearance of error notifications on your desktop, and a slow decline of your computer's loading and running times. You can use a basic viral scanning utility to check your computer's system of any traces of spyware or malware; however, it can't flag down every viral and spyware infection that might linger in your computer. Spyware can evade scanning attempts by making copies of itself and embedding them deep within the computer system and in program and registry files, and pilfering any personal or system data that it comes across. Unless you consider yourself a computer expert or you have any idea of what exactly spyware are and what they are able to do, it is almost impractical if you do the hunting yourself without enlisting the help of anti-spyware and antimalware applications that are featured in the latest antivirus software reviews.
If you are fortunate enough to never have any spyware or malware infect your computer before, there are ways to further protect your PC or laptop from future spyware or malware threats. First, you should cut off your computer's connection to the Internet each time you don't use it to surf the Web; second, you must change your computer's firewall configuration to suit your preferences and have it updated to its latest version; third, clear out your junk folders and files frequently; fourth, you must routinely check the "Add/Remove Programs" application of Windows to flag down and remove suspect applications and programs; and last but not the least, download and install an effective anti-spyware or antimalware program.
By following these instructions, you can keep your PC or laptop spyware- and malware-free. There are anti-spyware and antimalware products available, however, that can do the job for you automatically and can better safeguard your computer.
You can manually purge your PC or laptop of spyware without resorting to anti-spyware and antimalware solutions by following these steps:
First, back up your system and program registry by creating a copy of your registry files and folders.
Second, access the "Add/Remove Programs" application of Windows by pressing the "Start" icon, and clicking the "Add/Remove Programs" link at the "Control Panel" tab.
Third, take out any applications and programs that are not active and important to your computer's functions and any unneeded software that you might come across.
Fourth, type the term "regedit" in the "Run" field of the "Start" menu.
Finally, scan your computer's system and program registry for defunct files and traces of possible spyware and malware.
You must only do the preceding steps if you have any idea of what spyware are and if you can identify their associated file names. In addition to this, there are numerous other spyware and malware that exist in the Internet; it would be practically impossible to take them out one by one every time they infect your PC or laptop.
Simple anti-spyware and antimalware programs work by screening your PC or laptop and checking for any signs of spyware and malware incursions, and repairing any damaged files and folders that they leave behind. Some of them have other utilities that can better secure your PC or laptop from other malware threats. When selecting the right anti-spyware solution for your computer, you must see to it that it provides up-to-date online security and has both registry-cleaning and back-up capabilities. These two features don't just simply eliminate spyware and malware from your computer's system but they can also speed it up and make it more stable and efficient. These utilities and other features are usually rated and checked by various antivirus software reviews to determine the reliability and serviceability of the anti-spyware product in question.
So the next time you suspect that spyware or malware has infected your computer, don't panic just yet. Follow the advice that is given in this article and browse websites specializing in antivirus reviews to select the best anti-spyware and antimalware program for your computer.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7156626

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