Spyware

Spyware is ANY SOFTWARE which employs a user's Internet connection in the background without their knowledge or explicit Permission.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SPYWARE:
Check out Steve Gibison's webpage for great articles about Spyware and computer security in general.

Remember Spyware is avoidable
so surf wisely. Take a look at this article
by PcMag for tips on staying clean.

Tools we recommend to deal with your Spyware problems:

MicroSoft Anti Spyware Beta
One of the only programs that offers real time spyware protection.
It's free at least for now.

SpyBot Search and Destroy
Great user friendly program that works well. Consider donating to them if you use it.

Adaware
A great program that will help rid you of the pesky spyware problem. We recommend reading the help file that comes with this software, it's full of handy info.

CWShredder
Good for getting rid of those pesky IE Hijackers. We recommend downloading just the stand alone version.

Zone Alarm
Get a firewall, not only will this block incoming intruders and viruses it will let you know what programs are trying to connect to the internet from your own computer. You can get a free version of Zone Alarm or pay for a more full featured product. The free version should be OK for most users.

Another good way of staying out of trouble is to stop using Internet Explorer and Outlook Express.
Emerald Tech recommends FireFox and ThunderBird for your web and e-mail programs. These programs have much fewer security holes and over all offer a better Internet experience.

Make sure to check out the support section for more information on protecting your computer.