You have pop-ups and banner ad's taking over your computer you say?  Oh, how easily these programs sneak into our computers.  What is Spyware you ask?  Well my friend, if you have to ask, you're in real trouble.

Spyware are programs that do one of many things; one of them, which is the most obvious is cause pop-up ad's to appear at random on your computer.  Unfortunately, Microsoft isn't necessiarly (dare I say it) to blame; no software is 100% secure and given that 95% of the computer in the world run WindowsÔ so what's the best way to increase your odds at massive, world-wide infection?  Well, if you say, write the program (Spyware) to run on Apple computers, you'll only achieve 5%; no, you write it to take advantage of the most widely used operating system in the world, the Microsoft WindowsÔ operating system.

How do you protect yourself?  Number one, keep your computer up-to-date from Windows Update; you can get there by two ways:

1. In Internet ExplorerÔ and click on the Tools menu, then Windows Update.
   
2. Enter the following address in your address bar: http://www.windowsupdate.com

The second thing should do, is download and install the MicrosoftÔ AntiSpyware Beta1Ô.  I've personally used this software at home and at work (I work in a Help Desk) where it's been used to clean and restore infected PC's.  The results have not been 100% effective (no Anti-Spyware solution is) but it's been a great aid.  I strongly suggest you download and install the MicrosoftÔ  AntiSpyware Beta1Ô  today.

Wait, if the MicrosoftÔ  AntiSpyware Beta1Ô isn't 100% effective, why should I use it?  The way this software works is by searching your computer for programs and files that it knows to be considered spyware (just like Anti-virus solutions search only for known virus'), so updates must constantly be updated to keep your spyware solution up-to-date to the latest known versions of spyware (just like Anti-virus software have to be updated constantly to keep you protected from newly discovered virus').

What else can I do to protect computer from spyware?  Another spyware solution we constantly use at the Help Desk is called SpySweeperÔ by Webroot Software, Inc.Ò