When it comes to surfing the web, someone may be watching where your surfing takes you. No, it’s not Big Brother, but many Internet users’ on-line adventures are tracked by Spyware and they don’t even know it.

Spyware is a general description of any program that monitors and reports your on-line activity without your knowledge or consent. This software is often secretly installed in conjunction with other programs that computer users knowingly install. Kazaa is a good example of a popular program that automatically installs spyware.

Who wants to know which web sites you visit? For the most part it’s companies looking to send you personalized pop-up ads or e-mail. While doing their reporting, some spyware programs can disrupt your Internet connection and ability to send or receive e-mail. Though annoying, these are relatively harmless consequences and are not illegal.

Much more serious is the practice of using spyware to record financial and personal information. Crooks can use spyware to gain credit card numbers, passwords, social security numbers, and other confidential information. This variety of illegal spyware attacks is rare, but it does occur.

How do you know if your computer has spyware installed, and if you have it, how do you get rid of it? Because it’s designed to run without you knowing it, spyware is often hard to detect and remove. There are a variety of spyware detection and removal programs available, but we recommend one called Ad-Aware designed by Lava Soft USA. We provide a free version of the program on our spyware page http://www.huntel.net/home/support/tipoftheweek/spyware.htm. It works much like an anti-virus program by using lists similar to virus definition files which help it find and remove hidden spyware. Updates to the program are available free and, if used on a weekly basis, Ad-Aware does a good job of removing unwanted spyware.

If you have any questions about spyware, Ad-Aware, or any other aspect of your HunTel.net Internet service, please call us at 533-5777 or 1-888-491-9115. You can also send us an e-mail at techsupport@huntel.net.
 

Thank you for using HunTel.net!