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Safe Surfing Habits to Prevent Spyware & Viruses

If your computer has been infected with spyware or a virus, chances are you couldn't pinpoint exactly where you got it from, unless you downloaded one of the well known spyware programs such as Kazaa. So, if you don't know how you got it, how can you avoid it? If you follow some simple rules to help keep your computer safe, you will greatly reduce your odds of a spyware or adware infected computer.

Check for updates
Always keep your computer updated. If you don't have various programs on auto-update, it is important to check for updates at least once a week. Once an exploit is known, it doesn't take long for hackers to begin expoiting it themselves. These programs are the ones you should make a habit of updating regularly, or setting up for auto-updates

    • Microsoft Windows Update (click here for another article on updating Windows)
    • Email program (Outlook and Outlook Express will update itself through the windows update, but if you use any other email client, you should update it.)
    • AntiVirus program. If you you choose to only update a single program, this should be it. Viruses are unleashed every day, and you don't want to be caught with a month-old update when the virus you just received in your in box is only a week old.
    • Internet browser. Again, Internet Explorer will update automatically through the Windows Update, but if you use another browser, you should keep it updated.
    • Instant messaging programs. Always use the most up-to-date version.

Say NO to installers
Yes, some sites will prompt you to install programs that are perfectly safe, such as Macromedia Flash or the Real Time Player. But others will prompt you to install toolbars, spyware, adware, trojans, and many other nasties that could destroy your computer or subject you to non-stop advertising - including pop-ups that certainly would not be considered family friendly. Certain recognizable names, such as Macromedia, Microsoft or Apple are generally safe. But if you don't recognize the name, it is better to be safe than sorry and click cancel. If you think you really need it, write down the name of the program and company name, and do a search for it to see if it comes up as a spyware or adware problem.

Avoid Bad Neighborhoods
Just like you would avoid certain areas of major cities after dark, you will want to do the same thing when surfing online. The most common distributors of spyware and adware are sites that offer adult content, free music downloads, free casino-type games, and cracked / hacked software. Download anything from these types of sites, you can almost guarantee you will be downloading spyware or adware that will profit the site you downloaded from.

Investigate the Free Software
You have found a cool download for a card game. But how do you know the only thing that will install is the card game itself? Do a quick search for the name of the file or the card game, and see if anything comes up about it being spyware or adware. This quick one-minute search could save you hours of time cleaning up the mess later.

Check Your Browser Internet Security Settings
In Internet Explorer, click on Tools, Options, then Security. You can adjust your internet security options, such as only allowing ActiveX to run after you are prompted for it (spyware often arrives in an ActiveX application). You should set your internet security ranking at medium. If it is set higher, you could find that some websites will no longer work properly.

By following these simple tips, you can greatly reduce the chances of your computer being infected with spyware and adware.

For full details on checking for spyware and adware, please read our article Checking for Spyware & Adware

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