Adware
Adware doesn’t have a concrete definition. It generally refers to the underhand techniques an advertiser will use to get content under your nose. If you’ve been affected by adware you might find your computer is much slower than usual and you’re faced with pop-ups, annoyware, banner ads and drive-by downloads.
Spyware
Where adware is generally extremely annoying and can bog down your computer with spammy adverts, spyware is often a much more sinister invasion of privacy.
Much like how a virus may sneak into your computer without your knowledge, spyware does this and then monitors your activity. Gathering data and relaying it to a remote server.
How to avoid spyware and adware
- Be sceptical
Exercise a level of ‘pessimistic common sense’ when dealing with your emails, pop ups or other online communication. If something looks too good to be true, it almost definitely is. Equally, keep an eye out for if something looks off, such as spelling errors in a professional email, incorrect logos or branding on a pop-up advert, or something being offered for free that should be costly.
- Keep up to date with the latest scam, spam and phishing techniques
There are hosts of blogs, publications and forums that can inform you about current trends in online scams. By regularly checking these resources (such as this very blog!) you should be able to stay one step ahead of people aiming to infect your computer with spyware and adware.
- Install a pop-up blocker
A great way to get started with avoiding spyware and adware is to cut out all of those annoying pop-ups. There are lots of pop-up blockers available depending on which browser you use. Take a bit of time to research which will be the most suitable for you.
- Get Mailcleaner to help protect your company from spyware and adware
Our anti-spam software is the best way to stop spam emails. Mailcleaner ensures that 99% of unwanted spam email is stopped from entering your inbox by combining intelligence algorithms and frequent updates.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash