Once upon a time antivirus was all you needed in order to keep your computer safe from being damaged online. This is no longer the case. In fact, those who think that it is are living a fairytale life with their personal computer and could be in for a shocking rude awakening. There's a full time booming business out there that exists by sneaking software onto your computer through trying to trick you into voluntarily installing programs or sneaking those programs into files throughout the Internet.

If you are having problems with your computer's performance, you might be infected with Spyware. Spyware or Adware is also called Malware. Malware refers to malicious software that hides on your computer and completes malicious actions such as sending your personal information out to a third party.

If your homepage continues to be reset to some new page filled with advertisements or pornography or if your computer is running very slowly and coming up with lots of errors or pop-up windows, you may be infected by malicious software. If your links have changed on your homepage or anything else suspicious seems to be going on that can't be explained through a virus scan, you might be infected with Spyware.

This software can be spread through your system through many methods such as e-mail attachments in the form of a seemingly harmless executable program, through online games that require downloads to your computer, through music or file sharing sites or other methods such as useful looking smiley face programs to make your e-mails and instant messages more enjoyable. Once you download these types of programs (and more than one can exist simultaneously on your computer) they can send your personal information including e-mails, photos, passwords, instant messaging conversations and other activities to a third party. Identity theft can occur as a result of Spyware, Adware or Malware.

First, you need to find out if you have a Spyware problem and then you need to fix it. Installing a program to clean your system and arm it for the future is an ideal way to handle this. These harmful programs typically are not caught via antivirus programs or firewall programs alone and software programs that are designed to fix this problem are relatively inexpensive when you take into account the trouble they could be saving you and the privacy factor. Most people take for granted that their computer is safe and their surfing habits are private. This just isn't the case. Spyware is a fulltime business benefiting many individuals. Anti-Spyware programs are essential in keeping your private data safe and in protecting your identity online.