Clark Howard: Pop-up, Spyware and Virus Blockers

Malware (short for malicious software) is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer without your consent. Malware includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, spyware, scareware and more. It can be present on websites and emails, or hidden in downloadable files, photos, videos, freeware or shareware. (However, it should be noted that most websites, shareware or freeware applications do not come with malware!) The best way to avoid getting infected is to run a good anti-virus protection program, do periodic scans for spyware, avoid clicking on suspicous email links or websites. But scammers are sneaky: sometimes malware is cleverly disguised as an email from a good friend, or a very useful website. Even the most cautious of web-surfers will likely pick up an infection at some point. If you do, there are plenty of FREE TOOLS available to help you remove it. We list several below.

Spyware: It surreptitiously monitors and collects information about you, your computer and/or your browsing habits without your consent — usually for advertising purposes. It can also gather info from your address book, and even your passwords and credit card numbers. Unlike viruses and worms, spyware does not usually self-replicate. (Learn more )

Scareware: You’re surfing the net and suddenly an official-looking screen pops up warning you there is a problem on your computer, such as: “Your computer may be infected with harmful spyware programs. Immediate removal is required. To scan, click ‘Yes'”. You’re not sure if it’s real or not, so what do you do? Be careful, this might be scareware. If there’s any doubt, you can close your browser immediately by pressing ALT+F4 (Mac users: press Command/Apple+Q) This will prevent any scareware from loading. (Learn more )

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FREE PREVENTATIVE/ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE:
The following software runs continuously in the background, helping to protect your computer from infection:

Microsoft Security Essentials
Provides real-time protection for your home PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.

AVG FREE
Anti-Virus software from Grisoft that automatically protects computers from viruses by providing timely virus database updates and protection.

Avast! Antivirus Home Edition
A free antivirus software with anti-spyware, anti-rootkit and strong self-protection included,. Free for home users.

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FREE SPYWARE/SCAREWARE REMOVAL TOOLS:
The following software scans your system for malware, destroying any infections it may find. Install and run these routinely (once a week or so.)

Malwarebytes
A highly regarded and effective program that identifies and removes malware and scareware from your computer.

SpyBot – Search & Destroy
Detects and removes spyware of different kinds from your computer.

Ad-Aware
Scans your RAM, Registry, hard drives and external storage devices for known data mining, advertising and tracking components. Ad-Aware can easily rid your system of these tracking components, allowing you to maintain a higher degree of privacy while you surf the web.

SUPERantispyware
A free malware remover that also works on rootkits, spyware, adware, worms and parasites.

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SAFER WEB SURFING WITH SANDBOXIE:
Sandboxie: Create a secure partition on your computer for safer web browsing with this  free program. This is a great tool for more advanced users.