
Do not download suspicious programs, and check programs before you install them.It can be downloaded at the SecurePurdue Downloads page. Purdue provides free antivirus software for use by students, staff, and faculty. Use antivirus software and update it regularly.Consider using alternate browsers such as Mozilla, Netscape, Opera, or Safari (MacOS). Set Internet Explorer (IE) browser settings to appropriate security levels and disable or prompt for access for ActiveX and other dangerous content.Links to a number of popular removal and protection programs are included below. Download and run an adware- or spyware-removal program.Some spyware and adware can even be malware and open your system to attack or cause system problems. In addition, spyware and adware can slow your system down, hog system resources, and use network bandwidth. Cookies set by websites can allow these applications to track which websites you visit this is especially dangerous because some cookies can contain user login and password information for the website which created it.

Spyware and adware can gather information about you, your browsing habits, as well as other data.

In addition, many websites and advertising banners set cookies on your system that track your web usage. Even seemingly innocuous programs such as special cursors can contain spyware. Many popular peer to peer applications and other software packages include adware or spyware packages. Many users inadvertently download spyware or adware when downloading other programs. Malware includes viruses, Trojans, and worms. Malware is malicious software that is intended to do harm to your computer or software. Adware is software that displays advertising banners, redirects you to websites, and otherwise conducts advertising on your computer (not to be confused with popup ads, which come from the websites that you visit).

Spyware is software that gathers information about you, your browsing and internet usage habits, as well as other data. Spyware What is spyware, adware, and malware, and how does it get on my system?
