Spyware Infection

Signs of a Spyware Infection

Is your computer suddenly acting funny? Do you feel as though someone else has taken control? You may have an unwanted invader, called spyware, on your PC. This dangerous software can secretly infect your computer and potentially cause you harm. Read on to diagnose such an infection, and better yet, learn how to prevent it.

Spyware is a type of software that infects your computer without your knowledge with the purpose of “spying” on you and collecting your personal information. Spyware can be contracted simply by surfing the web, and more easily if you frequently download programs, games, or or other internet files. One infected, this nasty software will be lurking out of sight on your computer somewhere and may be patiently waiting for you to enter revealing details such as credit card details, website passwords, and so on. Keylogger spyware can monitor your computer usage fully or log every keystroke you make. This is an invasion of your privacy and the consequences could be disastrous.

The following are some some common symptoms of a spyware infection:

• Your computer may run slower than usual. Spyware accesses system processes in order to spy on you, and by doing this in an inefficient manner (since most spyware authors are not professional programmers) a great deal of system resources can be taken up whilst active.
• Large sections of RAM may be in use. Spyware gets loaded into your computer's memory—RAM—in order to do its dirty deeds, so any data captured by the software will be passed through memory first. Because of this, memory often becomes clogged up with data.
• Unrecognized files may be present on your hard disk. The spyware needs to load into memory from some form of physical storage, and usually such locations will contain files with random numbers and letters in the filename. This is a sign of malicious files.
• Some of your personal computer settings change at random. Spyware can change your settings to make your computer insecure or just too simply annoy users. If you don't remember changing something, then chances are it wasn't you who did it.
• Suddenly receiving lots of advertising emails to your inbox (particularly about things you’ve searched for on the internet). For example, searching for jewelry on a search engine like Google can trigger the spyware to wait for your email address to be entered and then send the information back to its creators. They can then specifically target you for advertisements. At first this may not seem all that bad, but you may be sent unsafe links, or be prompted to unknowingly reveal personal information.

If you notice one or more of the above symptoms then it is better to be safe than sorry. You definitely need to get your hands on a top-notch anti-spyware package to detect spyware, stop it in its tracks, and then delete it permanently. Spyware Doctor by PC Tools is the industry-leading anti-spyware software recommended by experts. Spyware Doctor is like antibiotics and a vaccine, all in one. Once downloaded and installed, it will and detect any immediate threats to your machine and destroy them. It will then actively prevent such an infection from occurring in the future. It offers real-time protection from any spyware threats, allowing you to surf the internet with total confidence. Currently safe-guarding million of PC users, Spyware Doctor is worth the small investment and includes a 100% money back guarantee in the event you don’t feel it offers the best protection available.

If you have a strange feeling that something is wrong, or that someone else is in control of your computer, trust your instinct. If your PC is exhibiting any of the common signs of infection, you may have spyware. To keep your personal information safe and secure, download a spyware remover like Spyware Doctor immediately to detect current invaders, eliminate them, and provide outstanding defense against future threats.