Spyware Blockers

Adware can be more than just an annoying nuisance. It can be difficult to get rid of, impossible to control and it can load your computer with unwanted, irrelevant and just plain offensive advertising. The loading cycle for the ads can slow the performance of your computer, and frequently, adware is accompanied by other malicious software that observes your browsing habits, reports your private information to third parties and occupies space on your computer that you didn’t authorize and don’t want to give up.

Where does adware come from and how does it get onto your computer? While some people liken adware to a virus, it’s technically not viral. You download Adware onto your computer. You may not know or understand that you’re loading this annoying software. It may be bundled with another software package that you like or want. Unfortunately, when you load the program you want, you also get the one you don’t want.

The information about adware may or may not be buried in user agreements or terms of service. You might pick up adware from visiting a compromised Web site, clicking on an advertisement or following a link that comes to you in an email from a friend. In the past, adware authors may have relied solely on their “product” to get you to download and install it. These days, many adware companies aren’t asking; adware is simply loaded onto your computer, whether you like it or not.

One such example of “bundled” adware is Messenger Plus! Live, an add-on software package that extends the function of Windows Live Messenger. The software allows users to customize their copy of Windows Live Messenger with sounds, colors and even self-programmed adjustments to the software. It also comes bundled with adware that serves up ad after ad after ad.

For the adult user, this advertising tsunami can be annoying and difficult to disable, but Messenger Plus! Live has a special appeal to teenage users. These users are bombarded with ads for credit cards, online gambling sites and other products that are normally reserved for adults.

If you have children in your home, or you work in an environment where children are present, you have to protect your computers from this kind of assault. Spywareblockers.org offers XoftSpy SE, an excellent anti-spyware, -malware and –adware program that can detect and remove existing infections and protect your computer from additional threats. You control the behavior of XoftSpy SE and the level of protection you get.

Photo Credit: Liewcf, via Flickr