A spyware program is a piece of software that sits I memory and monitors what you are doing on your computer. They can record web sites that you have visited as well as your account numbers and passwords.
The dangerous thing about spyware is that the programs “phone home”. They contact their writers and send the stolen data to them. That can lead to theft of your identity, pilferage from your company accounts, industrial espionage, etc. As a result, spyware elimination and prevention is an important function.
The anti-spyware program that I use is called Spybot Search & Destroy. To download it, go to http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/. Install the software and run it to eliminate the spyware that it finds. You can also “immunize” your PC from getting spyware infections. The software maintains a list of sites that infect people with spyware and keeps your browser from going to those sites.
Once you have protected yourself from spyware, you’ve finished the second step in tuning up your PC.
