Preliminary results from Symantec published in 2008 suggested that "the release rate of malicious code and other unwanted programs may be exceeding that of legitimate software applications."  As much malware was produced in 2007 as in the previous 20 years altogether.

Spyware is computer software that is installed surreptitiously on a personal computer to collect information about a user, their computer or browsing habits without the user's informed consent.

Malware, from the words malicious and software, is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner's informed consent.

Adware is any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertisements to a computer after the software is installed on it or while the application is being used.

"How did I get all this Spyware on my PC?"

• You may have downloaded from a website without realizing it.

• It may have been "bundled" with another program you downloaded from the Internet and installed (such as file-sharing programs, music download programs, and other "free" software)

• You may have received a pop-up window that prompted you to check your computer for Spyware or viruses.  Clicking on these pop-ups don't check for Spyware or viruses.  Instead, they often redirect you to websites that will install Spyware on your PC.

• You may have received a window that asked you to install something.  It may have used the term ActiveX.  Some of these components (such as anything on Microsoft's website, Adobe Acrobat or Macromedia Flash, for example) are legitimate software enhancements that don't contain harmful code.  However, you should always read the boxes that pop up to see who the publisher is to determine who the software company is.  If you don't recognize the name or can't tell what you're installing, odds are you don't want to.

"How can I stop Spyware?"

• Download the the most recent Windows Updates

• Download, update, and scan with Spyware removal tools*** such as Malwarebytes (free) or Vipre

• Educate yourself and your family to avoid the "free" software on the Internet that leads to Spyware problems such as music download programs, file-sharing software, and other such "free" software that contain small references in their license agreements to the additional components they install.  Remember, even though it may be advertised as "free" you will probably still end up paying for it, either through lost time, lost revenue, or the cost of having Spyware removed from your system.

ABS has special removal tools for Spyware or Malware that can detect and remove such programs that refuse to be removed by conventional means.  If you are plagued by Spyware or Malware on your PC and need it removed, call us at 308-381-6500 or toll free at 800-297-2667 to schedule an in-store or on-site appointment for Spyware removal.

*Please note that ABS Computer Headquarters, L.L.C. makes no warranties, expressed or implied, guaranteeing the success of Spyware removal when using any available Spyware removal software, nor is ABS affiliated with any particular anti-Spyware software vendor.  The above links are provided as a convenience to you as a customer, and as such we can take no responsibility for damage to your PC, lost data, or conflicts in Windows or other software programs that may be caused by installation, update, scanning, or component removal by any of these programs.