Spy Sweeper

I think a computers vulnerability to spyware is largely related to usage patterns. I generally stick to informational and entertainment websites and I don't usually have much of a problem. My son, on the other hand is a gaming freak and he usually has so much stuff downloaded on his laptop that he doesn't even have enough free space to properly defragment his hard drive.

He had a total spyware onslaught with his desk top a few years ago. At the time, we weren't even acutely aware of the risk involved with spyware. These bits of software that you unknowingly download along with stuff that you really do want can slow things to a crawl or stop them altogether. That is not their intention. They want your computer to provide information. Somebody, somewhere then gets paid for handing your information to somebody else.

At first, we just thought my son's third hand computer was just a piece of crap. I was then assigned the task at work of regularly running a spyware sweeper on my work computer and I realized that we needed it at home as well. I had a few bits of malware on my PC. Every computer in the house did. The number on my son's computer was staggering. If I remember correctly, I think he had about 600 objects.

If my post has you starting to question the state of your PC, the Webroot Spy Sweeper might be the answer. It is a lot better than the software I initially resorted to years ago. I guess you could say my old software was like an ER and Spy Sweeper is that, but also great preventative medicine. It can detect and actively block spyware allowing you to download with more confidence.