Spyware

Is your computer running slow? Are you getting lots of Pop-ups? Does your computer freeze up or give you the “Blue Screen of Death” on a regular basis? If you answered yes to any of these questions, and possibly if you did not, you could be the victim of a large amount of spyware.

What is spyware?

Spyware is software that is put on your computer without your knowledge or permission. It secretly and continuously gathers information about you and relays it to advertisers or other interested parties. Some of the ways it can be installed on your computer are via a virus, by downloading and installing ANY “free” program (like Kazaa, Weatherbug, or even Netscape Navigator), or even just going to the wrong site on the Internet.

"Ok, so how do I get rid of it?”

There are many free programs on the internet that will scan your computer for any type of spyware and remove it. Some are better than others. Two of the most popular programs are Lavasoft's “Ad-aware” and Microsoft's "Microsoft Antispyware". We use these program down at the Technology Assistance Center (TAC) and they are quite effective. The functionality is very similar to running a virus scan on your computer and just like scanning for viruses, spyware scans should be carried out as frequently as possible.

Click here for instructions on downloading and using Ad-Aware.
Click here for instructions on downloading and using Microsoft Antispyware.

What if I need help with this?

If you need help with any of the information given in this e-mail, please call the Help Desk at x2255 and we will be glad to walk you through installing anti-spyware software and running it.