If you have a popup or unsolicited ad appear on your computer, we do not recommend clicking on the ad, simply click on the RED X at the top right corner of the ad or close it at the bottom on your Taskbar at the bottom of your screen. If you click Cancel or OK in the ad, you might get infected with a spyware, adware or virus. If you want security against these threats, go to a safe place and download the program and install it. The three programs listed below are ones we use every day on our computers and the computers of all our customers. At this time, all of these programs are free.

We will address Spyware and Adware problems as a single issue. Both have the effect of slowing your computer to a crawl and can eventually shut down your computer.

SpyBot Search and Destroy is a AntiSpyware program that we recommend that every computer have. You run this program manually and will catch most of the Spyware on your computer. Spyware is a threat to your computer. It makes your computer run slow, even stop running and in many cases, it will send information back to the creator on how you use your computer and other information that could be harmful to your computing experience.

Spybot Search and Destroy is a free program and you can click here to go to their home page. To download the program click here and you will be taken to PC World's web site where you will see Spybot Search and Destroy. Click download and run the program. Call us if you have any problems.

Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta is currently the most effective AntiSpyware program that runs automatically and is free. It will run each night and give you a report each morning of the results. This program will catch about 65% of the Spyware. We do not know what Microsoft will do when it is taken out of Beta. It may remain free, or be included in Windows or have a charge. We will keep this site up to date as they update their information.

Unlike firewalls, you will want more than one Antispyware program on your computer. We recommend all three that are listed on this page since each one has it advantages.

Lavasoft Ad-Aware is an Adware detection program that catches programs that get loaded on your computer by piggybacking on other programs or by deception. They send back to the developer, information about what you buy and look at on the Internet so they can sell your information to the people that send the Pop-up ads. There is more but this is the just of it. This program must be run manually unless you purchase the Plus or Professional versions. The link takes you to the personal edition that is free.

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In a report from the National Cyber Security Alliance, they state that 77% Think They Are Safe from Online Threats But…67% of Computers Lack Current Anti-Virus Software, 1 in 5 Are Infected with Virus...80% of Home Computers Infected with Spyware/Adware; 88% Didn’t Know They Were Infected ..49% of Broadband Users Lack Any Firewall Protection. Click here to see the report.