If your computer starts to behave strangely
or displays any of the symptoms listed below, you may have
spyware or other unwanted software installed on your computer.
-
 I
see pop-up advertisements all the time. Some unwanted
software will bombard you with pop-up ads that aren't
related to a particular Web site you're visiting. These ads
are often for adult or other Web sites you may find
objectionable. If you see pop-up ads as soon as you turn on
your computer or when you're not even browsing the Web, you
may have spyware or other unwanted software on your
computer.
- My settings have changed and I can't change them back to
the way they were. Some unwanted software has the ability to
change your home page or search page settings. This means
that the page that opens first when you start your Internet
browser or the page that appears when you select "search"
may be pages that you do not recognize. Even if you know how
to adjust these settings, you may find that they revert back
every time you restart your computer.
- My Web browser contains additional components that I
don't remember downloading. Spyware and other unwanted
software can add additional toolbars to your Web browser
that you don't want or need. Even if you know how to remove
these toolbars, they may return each time you restart your
computer.
- My computer seems sluggish. Spyware and other unwanted
software are not necessarily designed to be efficient. The
resources these programs use to track your activities and
deliver advertisements can slow down your computer and
errors in the software can make your computer crash. If you
notice a sudden increase in the number of times a certain
program crashes, or if your computer is slower than normal
at performing routine tasks, you may have spyware or other
unwanted software on your machine.
If you think your computer is infected with spyware, find
out
how to get rid of spyware and how you can
prevent spyware from getting on your computer.
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