Spyware are mildly malicious programs that spy on your Internet behaviour; pop-up unwanted and intrusive ads when you browse the Internet; hijack your homepage; and slow down and crash your system. They usually install themselves when you get free software usually from the Internet by slipping through when you give permission to download. Unfortunately many anti-virus scanners usually do not detect them.

Spyware can vary from innocuous tracking cookies to track your browsing habits for marketing purposes, to "key loggers" which aim to capture usenames and passwords for internet banking etc.Some "Trojan Horse" Spyware or virus programs can use your PC to launch SPAM or other attacks on other internet users, often using your email contacts/address book as their starting point.

Symptoms vary, and some Spyware exhibit no obvious symptoms.

Typical symptoms, although some of these may be due to other issues:

• Sluggish performance
• Pop-ups happening when you are using a browser
• Browser home page being hijacked to something you have never entered, or "about blank" symptom
• Network activity when you are not using the internet
• strange or unexpected programs running when you use Windows Task manager to see what is happening

The only real way to check is to run none of the anti-spyware scanner programs that are available

The only practical way to remove spyware is with a spyware scanner and removal tool. You need to be aware that the removal of spyware will sometimes disable the free software from which the spyware originated.

There are many tools available on the Internet. Some of them case problems of their own.

Another unfortunate fact is that there does not appear to be any one tool which does the compete job for the myriad of Spyware varieties.

Free Tools	Recommended (but not free)
Two which are excellent and are Free are Ad-Aware - ("Personal" version is free) Spybot Search and Destroy (Free)	if these free tools to not clean your system you may need to use a "stronger" Anti Spyware program, but it may cost you a few dollars. (a lot less than if you have to reload your system or your personal finance details are extracted from your computer.)   I also use and Recommend CounterSpy

Many sites advise that you download, install and use both, as they both have their strengths.

Microsoft are also working on their own version, which is current undergoing beta testing, but can be downloaded for free from the following link. - More Details - View short video (Flash)

HiJackThis sounds like it is part of the problem but it is actually part of the solution, although it should only be used by those that have knowledge of windows software as incorrect usage could disable legitimate software and/or windows services. If you need help eliminating Spyware please contact us.

A great site which lusts other Anti Spyware tools and some online Virus Scanners is SpywareAid, and the Top Ten" rated products are highlighted at toptenreviews.com.

A few simple steps

1. Download and install the product

2. Run Ad-Aware

3. Select the "Check for Updates" option to get the latest spyware definitions file.

4. Run a FULL system scan (while you do something else for a while)

6. Select those items that are marked with a "bug" i.e..

Those on the MRU list are harmless and in fact unwise to delete.

A few simple steps

1. Download and install the product

2. Run "Spybot Search and Destroy"

3. Check for Updates, select them, download and install any that it finds. Make sure that you Click in the box next to each update to ensure it is included in the download.

Refer also to the