Working at the computer helpdesk, I see a lot of computers
that get infected with spyware. The
definition of computer spyware is “software that self-installs on a computer,
enabling information to be gathered covertly about a person's Internet use, passwords,
etc.” It can also make your computer
unstable and unworkable. When a computer
is infected with spyware, besides the obvious security risk, it can be a real nuisance
and difficult to clean. This tech tip
will show how to minimize the risk your computer becoming infected with spyware.
The first thing that needs to be done is to download a
spyware scanner. I like
SuperAntiSpyware. It can be found at http://www.superantispyware.com/. Download and install the “Free Edition.” After it installed, in Internet Explorer, near
the top of the page, click on tools and then choose “Internet Options” from the
menu. In the general tab, press delete
to delete “Temporary Internet Files, History, Cookies,” etc. Once that is done, close Internet
Explorer.
With any other programs installed, double-click the
SuperAntiSpyware icon on the desktop. Right-click
the orange balloon next to the clock by the taskbar and choose “Scan for
Spyware, Adware, Malware….” Be sure to
press “Check for Updates…” first. Now
press “Scan your Computer…” Depending on
how infected your computer is, you can choose to perform a quick scan (scans
known files for spyware to infect), a complete scan (scans the whole hard
drive), or a custom scan (only scans files you specify). It will then started scanning through the
files. When it is done, a window appears
telling you what it found. Press OK and
you are back on the superantispyware program.
Press next and then a window will appear asking you to if you want to
reboot. Press yes. The computer reboots and then you are done.
Below is a movie that shows step-by-step instructions.
