How Installing Security Software Keeps Your PC Running Smoothly.

It happens all the time. Applications act up. Screens freeze. Programs slow down and shut down for no reason. Your PC crashes in mid-task. You ask yourself, “What’s wrong with this computer?” — and you believe it’s something system-related. But very often, it’s something more subtle, something you don’t expect…

What is Adware?

Of all the spyware attacks that PC users face, the most plentiful are adware programs. Adware is software that can be quietly installed onto your PC when you accept free offers, but can also be downloaded casually while you’re surfing the Internet. You know you have it by the arbitrary pop-up offers that suddenly appear on your screen, or perhaps a change in your browser’s appearance or settings. Some of the ads you may find useful, but many of them contain objectionable content. For example, ads for questionable pharmaceutical products or discounts on imitation Rolex watches.

Other than selling you stuff, one of the main functions of adware is to track your Internet surfing habits and report them to a third party. By tracking your surfing habits, they gain valuable market research information, and can target their offers to you more precisely. Interestingly, you may have agreed to have adware installed on your PC when you accepted a free download – your permission is sometimes granted in the fine print.

Do I have Adware?

Although it’s often installed invisibly, without your knowledge, if your computer has been infected by adware there are usually indications. The classic symptoms are obvious: frequent and annoying pop-up offers, a general slowdown in PC performance and, as the adware begins to conflict with your PC’s legitimate software and operating system, frequent freezes and crashes, resulting in lost information between saves. If you’ve been experiencing these frustrating scenarios, you probably have adware on your PC. For a free online scan and check to see if you have adware or spyware on your PC:

 

Since adware is often programmed to launch when your computer starts up, and run continuously in the background, it adds time to your startup and slows down everything you do on your PC – especially if you have more than one adware program on your PC. By using up your system resources in this way, adware is consuming memory and speed that would otherwise be used for normal computing needs.

Another symptom that adware has been quietly dropped on your PC, is that your browser begins acting on its own and takes you to places you don’t want to go. This is known as browser hijacking. The goal of browser hijackers is to group you into a targeted marketing campaign and steer you to the sites that they want you to visit.

How Did I Get it?

Here’s how adware gets downloaded onto your PC. You visit an ordinary web site for just a few minutes, or maybe only a few seconds, and then seamlessly move onto something else. In the few moments you spent at that site, adware can be invisibly downloaded onto your PC without your knowledge or approval. This is called a “drive-by download”.

Another common way of getting adware is bundled with free software. There is a multitude of free software available on the Internet that provides real value to people. However, if you read all the fine print during the installation process, you may find that it comes bundled with adware – often multiple adware programs.

Did you know that, when you install most peer-to-peer applications that allow you to share files with friends and family, you are inviting adware onto your PC as well? Most peer-to-peer software developers, like Grokster and KaZaA, get paid by companies looking for ways to distribute their adware offers. This is how they make their money. Surprisingly, they’re doing it with your permission. Many of us don’t realize that when we “agree” to the company’s software license, we grant permission to have adware downloaded. It’s buried in the fine print. So, buyer (or sharer) beware.

Here’s a few links to help you make heads or tails of the details and dangers behind some of the more popular peer-to-peer programs and common adware pests:

Grokster
KaZaA
MySearch
BargainBuddy

Be Sure the Cure Isn’t Worse Than the Condition.

The good news is that there are many security software products available that protect you from spyware, adware and more. When shopping for anti-spyware software, you want to find a product that detects and removes a wide range of spyware threats, offers real-time protection, uses little hard drive space and offers frequent updates to protect you from newly discovered threats.

In short, you should consider a reputable source for proven software written not only for protection but also for operating efficiency. A product that requires minimal memory and capacity to deliver maximum results. That’s why CA’s eTrust® PestPatrol Anti-Spyware is an excellent anti-spyware solution. It has all of the features and benefits that you should expect in an anti-spyware solution, requires less system resources than most other products, takes less time to install, runs faster and performs more efficiently during standard PC scans.