Spy, Counter-Spy

[Submitted by Bob Rankin, of TourBus.com]

Is your computer running slower than usual? Has your browser’s start
page been hijacked? Having trouble reaching your favorite search
engine? Popups driving you crazy? Most likely your computer is
infested with spyware, the cockroaches of the digital age.

A recent audit of 4000 UK firms found the average office PC contains
20 pieces of spyware, including system monitors and trojan horses,
that could put confidential data at risk. And according to Webroot,
the company that performed the testing, consumers are even worse off,
with an average of 26 potentially malicious pieces of malware.

Even with good anti-virus protection, system updates and careful
attention to those annoying “Do you want to run and install
such-and-such” popups, you can still get hit with spyware. Some
programs (most notably peer-to-peer file/music sharing) install
malware surreptitiously. Toolbars, download helpers, screen savers,
and e-mail icon packages are often bearers of these nasty pests.

Doctor Bob has the prescription for finding and removing spyware
from your PC, and tips to keep them from coming back… [Continued]