Free Spyware Software Download
How to protect your computer from downloading spyware for free
In the early days of computing, viruses were the only form of malicious software there was. Now, they’re still the most common form of computer nasty, but they’ve since been joined by the likes of spyware, adware and ransomware. All of these are well worth avoiding, but out of all of them spyware is, arguably, the worst threat of all.
The basics of spyware
Spyware is exactly what it sounds like. It spies on what you are doing. Even basic spyware can gather information about your browsing habits, such as what websites you like to visit and what keywords you search on. Moderately-advanced spyware can gather a lot of information about your computer. Basically, it can tell a cybercriminal pretty much everything they need to know to break into your computer. The most-advanced spyware can tell its controller all kinds of details about your behavior, like your passwords and bank details. Some spyware can even switch on webcams to record you in the flesh.
Possibly the single, biggest difference between spyware and other forms of malware is that spyware can be really hard to detect. Viruses self-replicate and hence slow down your computer. Adware pumps out ads, thereby making its presence pretty obvious.
Ransomware encrypts your files and sends you a ransom note to have them released. Spyware, by contrast, just sits there, quietly doing its horrible work.
In other words, if you just trust to luck to keep your computer free of spyware, you could find yourself in a really nasty situation. You need to get proactive and take steps to stop your computer from downloading it in the first place. The good news is, you can do this for free.
Apply all updates quickly
Even though applying updates can be a real pain, it’s also really important. When you apply Windows updates, your computer will restart automatically, so you can set the updates to run when you’re doing something else. Other software will generally ask if you want to restart at that point or later, but you can still set it going when you’re doing something else, just remember to pop back and take a look at it so everything is finished by the time you want to use the computer again.
Put your browser’s privacy settings on the highest level
They’re there for a reason and they really can make a difference so use them.
Be very careful when browsing, think before you click or download
This may seem harsh, but at this point in time, you need to check any link before you click it and any file before you download it. This includes links and files from “trusted sources”, even your closest family and dearest friends. What you have to remember is that everyone can make mistakes. That includes big-name brands. Plenty of them have been hacked. It includes the people you trust most in all the world and it includes you. These days you absolutely need to check everything to keep yourself safe from spyware and other forms of malicious software.
Block all adverts
Adverts used to pay for the internet. This meant that some people used to feel bad about blocking them and that was understandable. These days, content creators are increasingly moving away from using direct adverts for revenue. One of the reasons they are doing so is because adverts are increasingly being used as a means to spread malware. This has become so common that it even has a name – malvertising.
For the most part, malvertising works by tricking users into clicking on a link. This means it’s essentially a numbers game. The more adverts a cybercriminal can put in front of you, the more likely it is that you’ll be tricked into clicking on one. There has been, however, at least one instance of malware being activated just by an advert being displayed on screen. This was in an attack on Spotify.
If you’re wondering how such a major site could be tricked into displaying malicious adverts, the answer is that many adverts are sold via agencies. The sites themselves really have nothing to do with them other than allocating the space.
Make sure you are using a robust security program
Even though everyone uses the term “antivirus”, what you really need is a robust, all-round security program. You want something which will scan for all kinds of malware, block adverts and check your internet traffic for suspicious activity. The good news is that Comodo antivirus does all that and more. Head to this page right now to download all the protection you need for free!
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