What Is Spyware and How to Remove It from Windows XP

Any software installed on a computer without the user’s knowledge is classified as spyware. Even if it does not do anything harmful to your computer, it still goes against your privacy and puts you at risk of third parties misusing the data the software has collected. If you are still using a computer running a Windows XP operating system, you might want to protect your older device better using the best antivirus for XP.

Understanding Spyware Better

There are various types of spyware that you requires you to safeguard your computers. Adware is one of them. It often comes with free software programs and utilities downloaded from unreliable online sources. You may also come across it when you browse an infected site. Fortunately, you can remove it using the best antivirus for XP such as Comodo Internet Security. Its antivirus and anti-spyware features can effectively detect and destroy each infection.

Keyboard loggers are another famous group of spyware designed to gather personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive business data, or login credentials. Among its biggest users are employers who keep track of their employees’ computer usage; parents who monitor their children’s online activities; or law enforcers who analyze crimes committed using computers.

Cookies collect users’ personal information and browsing habits by tracking which websites you have visited. Marketers use these cookies to do target marketing and display pop-up ads to encourage users to buy specific products. If you don’t want annoying pop-up ads, put the best antivirus for XP to good use. Programs like Comodo Internet Security automatically contains suspicious files even as they let the files run to avoid the risk of them harming the computer without impeding operations. Trojans appear as though they are legitimate programs, although their real purpose is to encrypt files to hold it for ransom later, delete files, or give third parties access to your information.

Mobile spyware infects mobile devices often through SMS or MMS and works on its own without user interaction. The infected device’s microphone and camera can then be used to record calls, spy on activities around the device, browse, and gather keystrokes.

Eliminating Spyware from XP

Even before you run the best antivirus for XP, you would know whether your computer is infected or not judging by the few symptoms. The device suddenly slows down or crashes, its hard drive storage space runs out, and random pop-ups show up whether you are browsing online or offline.

Computers with a Windows OS can use the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, which you can download from the site of the same name. But experts would tell you to run multiple anti-spyware programs, hence the need to use Comodo Internet Security and other software that is considered to be the best antivirus for XP. Doing so will help weed out the often hard-to-detect spyware.

If you spot these symptoms of spyware in your PC, you can follow these steps to eliminate them:

1. Restart the infected computer and put it into safe mode. Press F8 nonstop until the computer turns on. Select Safe Mode with Network Support from the menu you see on the screen.
2. Install the best antivirus for XP like Comodo Internet Security once your computer loads. Upon installation, you will see a notification about whether the software needs updates or not.
3. Run the software program to start scanning every file in your computer and check for spyware that you can remove.
4. Delete the threats using the best antivirus for XP program.
5. Restart the computer and go to Regular Windows.
6. Install the latest version of your favorite and most trusted browser.

To prevent this spyware scare from happening again, schedule the best antivirus for XP to run and scan your computer files regularly. This will help eliminate spyware before it can do much harm to your computer. It is also important to be more cautious by not opening emails from unknown senders, not downloading files from questionable sources, avoiding pop-up ads, and using reputable antivirus program like Comodo.

Stop the spying by running Comodo Internet Security and get 100% accurate verdict, thanks to both the VirusScope behavior analyzer and human analysts that can determine whether the files are good or bad. Comodo Internet Security offers the latest features and protection at a very affordable price. It is a powerful antivirus for Windows that features antivirus, firewall, auto-sandbox technology, host intrusion prevention, and website filtering to immediately protect your computer from all existing and emerging unknown malwares and spywares.