How Do You Know if Your Computer Has Spyware on It?

If you surf the Internet a lot on your computer, there might be a good chance that you have spyware on your computer.  Here are some signs to look for and solutions to remove any spyware that is on your computer.

You might have spyware on your computer if you might realize that your computer is running slower than usual. This lag time occurs because there is a spyware program that is eating up space and taking energy from your computer.

You can confirm for sure whether or not you have spyware by checking the programs which are running on your operating system. This is an important step, regardless of what kind of computer you have, but the process is different depending on your software and hardware. 

You can also run a virus checker designed specifically to see if there are spyware programs that are not currently running and to remove the spyware that has made their way onto your machine.

Signs of Spyware

If you suspect you have spyware because your computer is running slowly, or if you just want to double check to see if you do, there are some specific processes you can do to confirm one way or the other whether your computer is infected. To determine how to tell if your computer has spyware on it:

If you have Windows, you can check your Task Manager function on your computer.This application allows you to look through your programs and see if anything is running that you aren’t aware of. 

You can also continually monitor your financial records and personal information – you don’t want to be the victim of an identity theft or a loss of personal account information.

Finding Spyware

You can usually detect these programs if you run a program yourself, but many trained computer professionals have expertise on how to work with different machines.  For example, the problems that plague Linux and Mac operating systems are very different than those on Windows because the spyware is built differently.

A trained professional might be able to recommend buying a new machine, or fixing what you currently have.  They can also assist you in data recovery if the spyware has made it difficult to use your current machine. 

Spyware Options

So, now that you know how to tell if your computer has spyware on it, what can you do to protect yourself?

Most universities and employers offer free (or very steeply discounted) anti-virus programs, such as Norton Antivirus, that can protect your computer from spyware. You can also purchase these programs individually for your home computer; but remember, this option will be much more expensive than working through an institution.

Whether or not you have spyware issues now, think about methods of prevention.  For example, consider changing the way you use the Internet.  If it is possible to use an IP address blocker, do so. Learn how to search and surf the Internet effectively without downloading any inappropriate programs in the process – even simple searches on Google could result in downloading spyware.  For example, many Google Image results of celebrity photos are sometimes bugged.