| What is the difference between adware, | | | | Sunday or any day that you like it to run. |
| spyware, malware and virus? | | | | |
| | | | Another is AVG, it started of as one of the |
| Before we find the distinction between the | | | | top free personal anti virus solutions, now |
| three terms, one main issue to highlight is | | | | it has already diversify to provide other |
| that you would not want to have any of them | | | | security solutions like anti-spyware. One |
| in your system. | | | | thing that is good about AVG is that a fully |
| | | | functional trial version will revert to a |
| Adware: Adwares are software applications | | | | free version after the trial period. And |
| that are supported by advertisements | | | | while it is fully functional, it can be run |
| (Advertising Software). It automatically | | | | in the background to provide continuous |
| display advertisement when the software is | | | | protection against adware and spyware for |
| running. It is one of the way a programmer | | | | your system. After the trial, both AVG and |
| can offer his application at a reduce cost or | | | | Lavasoft provide similar functions of on |
| even for free. Most of the time, a license | | | | demand update and scanning. |
| can be bought to remove the advertisement | | | | |
| permanently. | | | | Working on both application is relatively |
| | | | straight forward, it is strongly recommended |
| Spyware: Spywares are a progression from | | | | that you download the latest definition file |
| adwares. In order to provide the user of | | | | and do a complete scan for your system during |
| adwares with more targeted advertisements, | | | | the initial installation. There after, before |
| various forms of statistics and information | | | | every regular scan, do remember to update |
| on user's activity on the system is tracked | | | | your definition file. |
| and sent to advertising companies. Sometimes | | | | |
| these are done under the hood without user's | | | | During the scans, likely hood is that you |
| knowledge and consent. Like spying on your | | | | will discover tracking cookies. These usually |
| habits and activities on your computer. Thus | | | | can be safely deleted. |
| the term spying software. | | | | |
| | | | 2. Anti-virus |
| Malware: Malware are malicious software that | | | | |
| affects the normal functionality of your | | | | Both AVG and Avast! offers great protection |
| system. Sometimes, annoying pop up will | | | | for your computer. Just download from the |
| appear out of no where to direct you to some | | | | respective site. Personally, i am using |
| sales sites. Sometimes emails spams will | | | | Avast! and will go deeper on it. Whatever the |
| automatically be sent from your system. | | | | functionality, parallel can be drawn for AVG |
| Adware and spyware progress to a malicious | | | | too. |
| state if it start to affect the use of your | | | | |
| system actively instead of just showing you | | | | After you install Avast! it will prompt you |
| passive advertisement. | | | | for a registration code, this can be obtained |
| | | | from Avast! website for free. |
| Virus: Virus are malware that spreads and | | | | |
| installs themselve without the knowledge of | | | | For me, Avast! anti-virus is an install and |
| the system user. You may open an infected | | | | forget about it solution. After the initial |
| file and once the file is opened, the virus | | | | installation, do a update of the virus |
| will installs itself on your system and wait | | | | database and allow Avast! to run in the back |
| for chance to propagate to the next | | | | ground. Avast! will automatically download |
| unsuspecting user's computer. Some even have | | | | virus definition file and any program updates |
| the capability of transmitting themselves via | | | | that is available. After the initial |
| the network to infect other system in the | | | | installation and set up, you are protected on |
| network. Some virus (trojan horse) will | | | | the following fronts: |
| enable some backdoor to allow access of your | | | | |
| system to unauthorized party. Removal of | | | | * Instant Messaging * Internet Mail |
| Adware, Spyware and Malware. | | | | * Network Shield * Peer to Peer (P2P) |
| | | | Shield * Standard Shield * Web |
| There are many rock solid commercial | | | | Shield |
| applications for the removal of adwares, | | | | |
| spywares and malwares and it is interesting | | | | It give you a well rounded protection on the |
| to note that these companies often release a | | | | different fronts where a virus may infiltrate |
| version that is free for personal use. Of | | | | your system. |
| course these free versions come with some | | | | |
| form of restriction. But still they would | | | | 3. Firewall With todays reliance on the |
| suffice for your personal computer. | | | | internet, Firewall is one of the must have |
| | | | for both business and personal computers. It |
| Three main weapons against Adware, Spyware | | | | is your first level of defense against |
| and Malware. | | | | external threads. It is very useful in the |
| | | | detection and blocking of adware and spyware. |
| 1. Anti-spyware / Anti-Adware program | | | | |
| | | | As most adware and spyware will try to |
| Two main companies i want to introduce here. | | | | connect to the internet, your firewall will |
| | | | warn you of the application's attempt to |
| First is Lavasoft. It is one of the first | | | | connect to the network. An important point to |
| company to conceive the idea of coming up | | | | note is that we should always check and |
| with adware / spyware removal software and to | | | | verify the connection attempts and not just |
| date, they are still the leading provider of | | | | blindly "Allow" access to the internet. |
| Anti-spyware / adware solutions. They have a | | | | |
| free personal version available for download. | | | | A couple of comprehesive and free firewall |
| | | | solution can be found at Comodo or ZoneAlarm. |
| The restriction on the free version is that | | | | Although Microsoft includes a build in |
| there are no automatic updates and it does | | | | firewall, it is no where near in comparison |
| not run in the background. Therefore, it | | | | to what comodo or ZoneAlarm offers. |
| would take some amount of discipline to run | | | | |
| manual checks on your system regularly. It | | | | Do remember to disable the Windows Firewall |
| would be also be possible for you to schedule | | | | when you replace it with either Comodo or |
| it in your scheduler task to run on every | | | | ZoneAlarm. |