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Protecting yourself

If you have already run the Spy Audit tool, you will now know if you have spyware onboard or not. If you're not infected, you are lucky, if you are, you're like 90% of other Internet users - welcome to the club! Infected or not, anti-spyware software is a must-have for any PC user connected to the Internet.

Although this step generally targets those looking to remove existing infections, it's also aimed at those who don't want to become infected in the first place. In this part of the guide we explain spyware removal, anti-spyware software and line up some of the best programs to get the job done.

Manually removing spyware

Manually removing spyware can prove to be very complicated, even for seasoned users. If you have identified the types of infections you have, it is technically possible to delete individual files and make risky registry edits to delete the infections. Even with such brute force tactics, chances are that you won't completely remove the infection. Spyware doesn't simply reside in one place and multiple traces or file fragments will likely remain on your system after the spyware is supposedly removed, resulting in the infection likely being reinstated.

Due to the danger of manual removal, we won't be covering this in any further detail. We strongly suggest you use a spyware removal utility to protect against and eradicate spyware.

What makes good removal software?

Due to the increase of spyware recently, we have seen a burst of spyware removal utilities available for download. It can be hard to decide what to go for, but there are a few things that you can keep a lookout for when choosing a tool. Here are our top five suggested features:

1. Definition updates: This is essential. It's no good having a spyware removal tool if it doesn't provide regular updates to cope with any new threats or changes in existing threats. Lots of free removal tools do not provide or support this in their free license. So it's essential that the product you choose does this regularly.
2. Balanced detection and removal: You need a product that detects the real nasty infections. Many pieces of software can blind you with the sheer amount of spyware they can actually find, when in fact it may not be finding the most malicious infections, but instead the easiest ones to find. You need software that can detect and destroy both.
3. Real-time protection: If you can choose a product with this feature, you can sit back and relax as it keeps the wolf from the door. Spyware installation attempts will be blocked at the point of contact, before an infection even occurs.
4. Scheduled scans: It's easy to forget to scan your machine every few days, but that's more than enough time for spyware to nest. To make sure scans are done on a regular basis it's essential that the product you use is capable of scheduling scans.
5. Easy to use: Sounds like an obvious one but the last thing you need when trying to eradicate spyware is for your software to be difficult to operate.

The best tools for the job

Based on the features above, we have extensively tested our arsenal of spyware removal utilities and have listed our top 3 spyware removal products below.

Whether you decide to use one or even two products to get the job done, it's up to you. However, it is essential that you regularly use some form of spyware removal software and we strongly suggest you try out the three above before going elsewhere. We promise you won't be disappointed by their performance.

Recommended

See also

Check out these other great programs to improve your security:

• Spy Sweeper (see above)
• Spam Monitor
• Anti Tracks
• Webroot Desktop Firewall
• Window Washer
• Mozilla Firefox
• Ad-Aware
• Outpost Firewall Pro
• Invisible Secrets
• Mozilla Thunderbird
• Spyware Doctor
• Fast System Washer
• PestPatrol
• File Securer