Your computer takes longer than usual to complete certain tasks.

You experience a sudden rise in computer crashes.

Spyware is often associated with software that displays advertisements (called adware) or software that tracks personal or sensitive information. That does not mean all software which provides ads or tracks your online activities is bad. For example, you might sign up for a free music service, but "pay" for the service by agreeing to receive targeted ads. If you understand the terms and agree to them, you may have decided that it is a fair tradeoff. You might also agree to let the company track your online activities to determine which ads to show you. 

Other kinds of unwanted software will make changes to your computer that can be annoying and can cause your computer slow down or crash. These programs have the ability to change your Web browser's home page or search page, or add additional components to your browser you don't need or want. These programs also make it very difficult for you to change your settings back to the way you originally had them. These types of unwanted programs are also often called spyware.

The key in all cases is whether or not you (or someone who uses your computer) understand what the software will do and have agreed to install the software on your computer.

There are a number of ways spyware or other unwanted software can get on your system. A common trick is to covertly install the software during the installation of other software you want such as a music or video file sharing program. Whenever you are installing something on your computer, make sure you carefully read all disclosures, including the license agreement and privacy statement. Sometimes the inclusion of unwanted software in a given software installation is documented, but it may appear at the end of a license agreement or privacy statement.

Signs of spyware: Are you infected?

If your computer starts to behave strangely or displays any of the symptoms listed below, you may have spyware or other unwanted software installed on your computer.

I see pop-up advertisements all the time. Some unwanted software will bombard you with pop-up ads that aren't related to a particular Web site you're visiting. These ads are often for adult or other Web sites you may find objectionable. If you see pop-up ads as soon as you turn on your computer or when you're not even browsing the Web, you may have spyware or other unwanted software on your computer.

My settings have changed and I can't change them back to the way they were. Some unwanted software has the ability to change your home page or search page settings. This means that the page that opens first when you start your Internet browser or the page that appears when you select "search" may be pages that you do not recognize. Even if you know how to adjust these settings, you may find that they revert back every time you restart your computer.

My Web browser contains additional components that I don't remember downloading. Spyware and other unwanted software can add additional toolbars to your Web browser that you don't want or need. Even if you know how to remove these toolbars, they may return each time you restart your computer.

My computer seems sluggish. Spyware and other unwanted software are not necessarily designed to be efficient. The resources these programs use to track your activities and deliver advertisements can slow down your computer and errors in the software can make your computer crash. If you notice a sudden increase in the number of times a certain program crashes, or if your computer is slower than normal at performing routine tasks, you may have spyware or other unwanted software on your machine.

Get rid of spyware and other unwanted software

Many kinds of unwanted software, including spyware, are designed to be difficult to remove. If you try to uninstall this software like any other program, you might find that the program reappears as soon as you restart your computer. If you're having trouble uninstalling unwanted software, you may need to download a tool to do the job for you. Several companies offer free and low-cost software that will check your computer for spyware and other unwanted software and help you remove it.

Keep in mind that removing unwanted software with these tools may mean you will no longer be able to use a free program that came with the spyware.

To remove spyware
1. Download one of the free removal tools and install it.

2. Run the tool to scan your computer for spyware and other unwanted software.

3. Review the files discovered by the tool for spyware and other unwanted software.

4. Select suspicious files for removal by following the tool's instructions.

Here are a few well-known tools that can help you detect and remove unwanted software from your computer:

Lavasoft Ad Aware
CWShredder

Note: GlobalNet Internet Services is not responsible for the quality, performance, or reliability of these third party tools.

What you can do about spyware and other unwanted software

Spyware and other unwanted software can invade your privacy, bombard you with pop-up windows, slow down your computer, and even make your computer crash. Here are several ways you can help protect your computer against spyware and other unwanted software.

Step 1: Update your software
If you use Windows XP, one way to help prevent spyware and other unwanted software is to make sure all your software is updated. First, visit Windows Update to confirm that you have Automatic Updates turned on and that you've downloaded all the latest critical and security updates.

Step 2: Adjust Internet Explorer security settings
You can adjust your Internet Explorer Web browser's security settings to determine how much—or how little—information you are willing to accept from a Web site. Microsoft recommends that you set the security settings for the Internet zone to Medium or higher.

To view your current Internet Explorer security settings:

1. In Internet Explorer, click Tools and then click Internet Options.

2. Select the Security tab.

If you're running Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) and you use Internet Explorer to browse the Web, your browser security settings for the Internet zone are already set to Medium by default. Internet Explorer in Windows XP SP2 also includes a number of features to help protect against spyware and many other kinds of deceptive or unwanted software.

Tip: Don't know which version of Windows your computer is running? Find out.

Step 3: Use a firewall
While most spyware and other unwanted software come bundled with other programs or originate from unscrupulous Web sites, a small amount of spyware can actually be placed on your computer remotely by hackers. Installing a firewall or using the firewall that's built into Windows XP provides a helpful defense against these hackers. To learn more about firewalls, read Why you should use a computer firewall and get answers to your Frequently asked questions about firewalls.

Step 4: Surf and download more safely
The best defense against spyware and other unwanted software is not to download it in the first place. Here are a few helpful tips that can protect you from downloading software you don't want:

Only download programs from Web sites you trust. If you're not sure whether to trust a program you are considering downloading, ask a knowledgeable friend or enter the name of the program into your favorite search engine to see if anyone else has reported that it contains spyware.

Read all security warnings, license agreements, and privacy statements associated with any software you download.

Never click "agree" or "OK" to close a window. Instead, click the red "x" in the corner of the window or press the Alt + F4 buttons on your keyboard to close a window.

Be wary of popular "free" music and movie file-sharing programs, and be sure you clearly understand all of the software packaged with those programs.

Spyware and your kids

If your computer starts to suddenly slow down or you begin to see pop-up windows, even when you're not browsing the Internet, you may be the victim of spyware and other unwanted software. Spyware is software that is automatically downloaded to your computer without your notice, and is often attached to another file you have chosen to download or install. Spyware can also be downloaded to your computer when you click on banner ads on Web sites.

The types of unwanted software programs that kids accidentally download are usually annoying and may slow down your computer, but are typically not dangerous.

If your children regularly use your computer, they may be visiting sites or downloading files that could be exposing your computer to spyware and other unwanted software.

Types of downloads that may contain spyware

Free games downloaded from the Internet

Music, movies, and other software file-sharing programs downloaded from the Internet or from other computers

Animated characters for your desktop

Free screen savers downloaded from the Internet

Toolbars for your Internet browser

Free pop-up blockers that appear on your computer when you are online

Not all of the programs listed above will contain unwanted software. The key to helping prevent the installation of spyware is to download programs only from sources you trust and to read all security warnings, license or user agreements, and privacy statements associated with any software you download or install on your computer.

Encourage your kids to ask your permission before they download anything from the Internet. If you're not sure if the program they want to download contains spyware or other unwanted software, ask a knowledgeable friend or enter the name of the program into your favorite search engine and see if anyone else has reported that it contains spyware.

Tip: Think you may have spyware on your machine? Learn some of the common signs of a spyware infection and find out how you can remove spyware.

" Mom, Dad—I promise I didn't download anything"
Sometimes your children may accidentally infect your computer with spyware or other unwanted software without even knowing they've downloaded anything. Some popular sites for kids may try to download programs without your kids even asking for them. Your children may see a warning notifying them that a Web site wants to download a program. They may click random buttons on the window just to get it to disappear. What they click on might just be "I agree."

If you don't think your kids understand what it means to download programs only from trusted sources or if you think they probably won't read all the warnings and agreements that appear while they're surfing the Web, you may have to take a few extra precautionary measures with your home computer. Read How to help keep your kids from downloading spyware to learn more.

How to help keep your kids from downloading spyware

If your kids surf the Internet, chances are they're going to want to download games, music, and other programs that may expose your computer to spyware or other unwanted software. Spyware is a general term used for software that performs certain behaviors such as advertising, collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your computer, generally without appropriately obtaining your consent.

Here are a few steps you can take to help your kids download and install software more safely.

Step 1: Talk with your kids
Depending on the ages of your children, you may be able to teach them not to download software from unknown sources on the Internet. If you can convince them to ask your permission before they download anything, you will go a long way toward keeping unwanted software off of your computer.

Consider adding Web sites that you feel are safe to your Favorites list and only allowing your children to download software from those sites.

Tip: As soon as your kids are old enough to go online, it's a good idea to establish rules that clearly state where they can go and what they can do on the Internet. For more help with guiding kids as they go online, visit our Child Safety section.

Step 2: Monitor your children's activity on the Internet
Keep the computer in a place in your home where it can be easily monitored and limit the length of time your child can spend on the computer. If your children are under 10 years old, you may want to be online with them at all times.

There are also many software products that can help you monitor and guide your child's use of the Internet.

Step 3: Give your child a limited user account
Windows XP allows you to create multiple user accounts for your computer. Each user can log on separately and has a unique profile with his or her own Desktop and My Documents folder. As a parent, you can give yourself an Administrator account with full control over the computer, and give your children Limited User accounts, with restricted controls that will help prevent them from downloading programs that may contain spyware or other unwanted software.

For help on adjusting user accounts in Windows XP, read Share your PC: Get started.