How To Prevent Spyware From Getting Into Your Computer



How can you keep spyware from getting on your system? Here are some ways you can try to staunch the infestation.

Modify your web browser security settings for the Internet zone to the medium security level, or higher. If you are using Internet Explorer, open the Tools menu and select Internet Options. Activate the security tab, and within it, select the icon marked Internet. Then click on the button underneath labeled Custom Level. This will open a Security Settings dialog box where you can select one of four preset settings: low, medium-low, medium, and high. You will want to set this to medium or even high.

Increasing your security settings will however reduce the functionality of your web browser, since your browser will deny websites the use of scripts that perform various services, like keeping you logged on to a site or allowing useful pop-ups such as previews to appear. But you can address this by adding the websites you use to your list of Trusted Sites. You can access this list on the same Security Options dialog box where you changed your Internet security settings. The Trusted Sites level can be set to low as long as you only populate its site list with reputable web addresses.

Even if your security settings are set to high, your browser software may have vulnerabilities in its code that can be exploited by malicious websites to install spyware on your system. Adjusting your Internet zone security settings to high should prevent many malicious exploits, which are often triggered by scripts. But it is also important to keep your browser software up-to-date, installing the latest upgrades and patches as soon as they are made available. However, until a bug patch or upgrade becomes available, your browser will remain vulnerable.

If you are using Internet Explorer, you might consider switching to one of the alternative web browsers that are said to be more secure than IE, such as Mozilla Firefox. A browser change is no guarantee that you will not get spyware, but it may minimize the potential for infection.

You should have a firewall installed. Use the Windows firewall that comes with XP, or get a reputable third-party firewall application, such as ZoneAlarm from ZoneLabs. Using a firewall while web browsing can keep hackers and webpages from infecting you with spyware.

You should also watch your web browsing habits. Be especially wary of pop-up windows that appear when you are browsing if they indicate some kind of warning or direct you to download software. Of course, some pop-up windows come from legitimate applications. But legitimate apps give out pop-up warnings only after the software has been installed on your system, and not before! A fraudulent pop-up usually tries to scare you about a problem in your system so as to get you to download spyware-infested software. After you install the rogue software, the warnings stop! Because they were never intended to help you solve system problem, just to get you to download the spyware. No reputable software vendor should have to resort to scare tactics to get your to install their products, so when you see something like this, you know that spyware is involved.

Be very cautious about downloading free software unless you know and trust the source. Spyware comes bundled in some free software installation packages, often for free games, screen savers, Windows themes, cursors, toolbars, and download managers. The free file sharing programs Kazaa and LimeWire are known for including spyware, and similar applications may do so as well.

 To Be Continued   Click Here To Read More

How Does Spyware Get Into Your Computer
You may already have spyware infecting your system, but how did it get there? There are a n...
how-does-spyware-get-into-your-computer.php

Protect Yourself From These Evil Spyware Tricks
Have you ever had such an experience? Or else had to deal with too many annoying pop-ups on yo...
protect-yourself-from-these-evil-spyware-tricks.php

Spyware May Expose You To Rogue Dialer Scams
To understand the scam, you have to know what a dialer is. Basically, it is piece of soft...
spyware-may-expose-you-to-rogue-dialer-scams.php

Spyware The Dark Side Of Advertising On The Internet
There is simply no justification for spyware. An online ad may be distracting, but it ...
spyware-the-dark-side-of-advertising-on-the-internet.php