What are the effects of Adware?
Has your PC been running
slow as of late? Is your screen suddenly
flooded with pop-up advertisements? Have
you noticed new toolbars in your web browser?
Changes in your list of Favorites or perhaps a totally different
homepage? If you answered to yes any of
these questions, your computer just may be infected with adware. Adware poses a great threat to anyone who
frequently visits the internet; the infection is almost certain when the proper
security is not implemented.
Adware refers to free
software that frequently displays advertisements from one or more
companies. It mainly presents you with targeted content
based on your web surfing patterns, offering items you are more likely to have
an interest in. When used correctly,
adware is installed with your consent, notifying you of the activities it will
perform.
Truth about Adware
Although some forms of
adware have no intentions of harming your computer, more often than not, this
type of program is used maliciously. For
instance, most of the time adware is installed, a user has no knowledge of it's
presence. This is because adware is
typically bundled and downloaded with other software. If you do not carefully read the terms and
conditions of the original program, you can easily consent to inviting adware
on your computer.
Once installed, this
software becomes a great threat to the performance of your computer and the
information it contains. Several adware
programs will interrupt activity by displaying constant pop-ups windows,
whether you are signed onto the internet or not. You may find that your web browser has been
hijacked, perhaps replaced with offensive content. When typing into a search engine, your web
requests may be redirected to other internet locations. These are common characteristics of adware,
all made possible by the ability to make changes on your computer and report
data back to other sources. These type
of programs are more aptly named as spyware and can be rather destructive over
time.
It is very rare that a
user is compromised by just one adware application. Many times, adware is installed by a Trojan
horse which typically downloads several kinds of malicious software on a
computer. After a while, all of these
programs will consume a great number of resources, taking a tremendous toll on
your computer. A system can quickly be
come so infested with pop-up ads that normal activity such as signing on the
internet is virtually impossible.
When adware and spyware
programs get out of hand, they will often prevent the installation of software
intended to disinfect them. In this
scenario, your computer needs to be examined and repaired by a technician, in which
the system may need to be wiped clean and completely restored.
Staying Ad-Free
In general, adware serves
benefits to few users. The internet
gives us the ability to seek and find any product our hearts desire. Why have these advertisements forced on you? That cool, useful program merely presenting
itself as ad-supported software could actually be spyware attempting to steal
your personal data. Why take the
risk? Keep yourself protected from
adware by installing both anti-spyware software and a firewall
application. The spyware program will
effectively detect and destroy various types of adware while the firewall will
help to keep them away.
