My Computer is Running Slow
Computer Spyware – What is it?
by Wolfdave
Spyware is a type of Malicious Software that infects Computers without your knowledge.It can cause your computer to run slow. It can also collect information about you.
This could be your personal and financial details, your surfing habits and sites visited. It then sends this information, again without your knowledge or consent, to a Third party.
It can also change the settings of your computer and can interfere with your control of your own PC. And can lead to your computer running slow.
Spyware can modify the Windows registry and change your Internet security settings. It can sometimes even disable your Firewall and Anti-Virus.
It is quite common for a computer to have multiple infections. This will result in increased CPU activity, disk usage and network traffic.
All this can cause your computer to slow down, freeze, and take longer to boot, crash and slower connections to the Internet.
If you notice that your computer seams slower at performing normal tasks, you may have spyware or malware on your PC.
How to remove Spyware.
Completely disconnect from the Internet, and then run antispyware program.
Use antispyware software to check your computer for spyware and remove it. You may already have antispyware on your PC. Most anti-virus suites now include this facility. Open your anti-virus control panel, if it’s there run a ‘full system scan’, not just a quick scan.
You can search the internet for antispyware software to download, choose a brand that you know or can verify as authentic. Some rogue ones will often offer you a Free Scan and will probably just add more spyware.
There are several good antispyware programs which are free for, personal use only. Ad-AwareSE and Spybot-Search & Destroy are two such programs which I personally use myself. Microsoft also do a Malicious Software Removal Tool.
A Two-way Firewall is an extra safety measure you could consider. So that if spyware does invade your computer, it will be prevented from calling ‘home’.