Beware - You are being spied on (Ad-aware)

Member Name: Jonathan100

Product:	Ad-aware
Date:	17/01/02 (1175 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very fast, Very efficient, free

Disadvantages: Not all software will work after spyware is removed

Many companies install secret software to spy on your computer activity. This software can be picked up in freeware applications or from banner ads on websites. The software then installs itself on your PC secretly and sets its self to run on start-up. Whenever you are using your PC it is watching, particularly while you are on the net. It can record a list of sites you are visiting and from that it can build up a personal profile on you and then deliver advertising to you. This software can also watch other things you do on your PC to help it build up a profile about you. Whenever it can it sends the recorded data back to a server where it is collected and a huge database of visited sites and from that it can then deliver ads. My PC collected over 100 of these small pieces of software, all reporting private information back to their servers. I personally am not at all happy about this and try to avoid it at all costs. The problem with removing this software is that it digs its self deep into the system and the registry and is almost impossible to remove by hand. There is a nice piece of freeware been developed to do this task called AdAware.

AdAware is a freeware application available for download which searches your hard disks and registry for all this software and then allows you to select which pieces you wish to remove (normally all of them) and it then removes them for you. The whole process normally takes around 10-20mins depending on your hard disk size. The software is very easy to install and set up. To scan involves a few clicks of the mouse and is very self explanatory. The software can be set to load and scan at start-up or it can be manually whenever you want, I suggest weekly. AdAware makes light work of the nearly impossible task of manually removing all this spyware and improves your privacy no end.

The only draw back is that some freeware is supported by this advertising and as soon as it is removed the software will cease functi
oning. You can therefore opt to leave certain bits of spyware intact. They will still spy but it is a toss up between working software with spyware or no software at all, your choice. If you do accidentally remove some essential AdAware then reinstalling the software should fix it.

AdAware is an 880K download and the current version is 5.62 and has been downloaded around 2.5M times. It can be downloaded from www.download.com The software will take around 2 minutes to download on a 56K connection and is well worth it. I would recommend that everyone who regularly surfs the net downloads this free piece of software.

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