While many PC users are familiar with the term virus, not as many understand the term spyware. Simply put, spyware is programs that performs certain behaviors such as advertising, collecting personal data, or changing the configuration of your system, generally without your premission. Here are a few things that can happen if you get spyware on your PC. 1. Pop-up advertisements will appear even when you are not on the internet. 2. Your home page changes all of sudden and you don't know why. 3. A new toolbar appears and you can't seem to get rid of it. 4. Your system takes longer than usual to complete certain tasks. 5. Your system crashes a lot when it never used to. Just reading the above list should be enough to encourage you to read on and do what you can to prevent viruses and spyware from attacking your system. Below is a list I compiled of things you can do to protect your computer from viruses and/or spyware. Following these suggestions doesn't mean you will never have a problem. 1. Everyone should have good antivirus software on their system. This is especially true it you use the internet. Most users use PC-cillin Internet Security 2006 on their computer. I use Norton's Internet Security. Both are good but only work well if used properly. If you are a beginner user, I would recommend Norton over PC-cillin. However, PC-cillin is a good program for those who are more advanced computer users. It requires a little more patience to set up and a better understanding of computers than Norton's does. 2. While it is nice to have Internet Security software, one must make sure it is turned on and that it is updated weekly. New viruses are being created daily and if you don't update your antivirus programs weekly your system is open to attack by new viruses. 3. Make sure you have a good firewall programs and that it is turned on. A firewall helps protect your system from outside attacks. Again, a good Internet Security program such as Norton's and PC-cillin come with a firewall. However, remember they only work if they are turned on. 4. I use two free programs in addition to PC-cillin to give me a little extra protection from spyware. I run these programs once a week to ensure that my computer is free from spyware. The two programs I use are: SpyBot - Search and Destroy Spyware Blaster Both these programs can be downloaded for free at www.downloads.com 5. Use a free program that checks for advertising trackers and lets me get rid of them. You can download a copy of this program at www.downloads.com. The name of this program is: Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal There are a few other things I would like to mention concerning viruses and protecting yourself from them. a. When you receive an email from people you don't know and it has an attachment. Never open the attachment. Often times these attachments can have viruses in them. b. If you receive an email from some people you know with an attachment and you weren't expecting it, don't open the attachment. Contact them first to make sure they sent it. Sometimes a virus can send out emails without the person even knowing. c. Be careful when you are get software or programs off the web. Often spyware software will install during the installation of other software you want such as a music or video file. Whenever you are installing something on your computer, make sure you carefully read all disclosures, including the license agreement and privacy statement. Sometimes the inclusion of unwanted software in a given software installation is documented, but it may appear at the end of a license agreement or privacy statement. d. Be careful when you use a file from someone else's system. If someone gives you a disk, even if it is your best friend, run a virus scan on the disk before opening any files. It is possible for the file to have a virus without the person knowing about it.