How Do You Get Spyware?

First, even though you probably do not recall doing it, you agreed to allow the spyware to be installed on your computer. Trickery is often used to get you to agree to this. Most spyware is not considered to be a virus because you agreed to allow it to be installed.

There are many methods that load spyware programs on your computer. Probably the most common method is by attaching spyware to another program.This is usually in a shareware or freeware program. A common example is a file sharing program – those free programs that allow you to download music or other files and allows others to upload music and other files from your computer. The use of these programs are becoming more and more common. The creators of these “free” programs make their money through spyware! They monitor your web and computer habits, then they use adware to send you advertisements that you are most likely to respond to. The advertisers pay the creators of these programs every time you click on the advertisement.Be cautious when using free software that you download from the Internet.

Another common way that spyware programs get installed is by advertising as a program that will help prevent spyware. You download the program and think you are protected,but instead you are being spied on. If the program asks you to pay to prevent spyware it is probably not a program to trust. There are many free anti-spyware programs (info about a few below). These free programs are developed by people trying to combat the spyware problem. Many of these companies ask for a donation for their efforts. It would be kind to financially compensate these people for their work, but not required.

Spyware may also be installed by asking you to download a needed program to view a web page. Gator is famous for this method. You visit a web page and an ad pops up telling you to download a program to correctly view the page. The ad looks exactly like a Microsoft Windows installation screen. Many click yes thinking that it is needed to view the web page, not reading the documentation and just clicking the next button. There you have it, more spyware.

Here’s another method used to install spyware: You view a webpage and you get a message that your computer is broadcasting an IP address and warning you of the security issues involved. The ad suggests that you download a program to secure your computer. The IP address is the Internet Protocol address. It is a unique address of every device on the Internet. When you go to a web page you send a request to an IP address asking that device to send the webpage to your IP Address. If you didn’t share your IP address you could not do anything on the Internet. In other words, this address must be broadcast and is not a security risk.