lucy85
Topic Starter
I've found this article surfing Google news and think is really interesting 
Much like the TV commercials that came before, Internet banner ads are often very misleading.
With one click on that friendly, flashing ad, your computer may be completely compromised by spyware, viruses, and other malicious programs. These links are designed by online marketing groups who hire out to many different companies and are paid by the number of times someone visits the site that pays for the ad.
Now, we all know that advertising is a necessary part of business, the trouble with the Internet today is that ad companies will use any means necessary to obtain more "hits" for as many different sites as possible. This could mean placing more attractive ads, but more often it involves downloading harmful software to your computer that forces your browser onto different sites. These hijacker programs can change your homepage, redirect links, and even alter the page you're viewing as you view it.
Many of us have watched in horror as our favorite newsfeeds disintegrated into explicit pornographic advertising. Often this rude awakening has nothing whatsoever to do with actually visiting any of the Web sites advertised, but rather their affiliates, people who use the same ad company.
"But how do I keep that junk off my computer?"
To keep your computer running smooth and spyware-free, it is important to keep reputable antivirus and antispyware programs up-to-date, running a deep scan at least once a month.
Many computers nowadays come with some kind of antivirus already installed, typically Norton or McAfee. These are both fine programs, but they have let me down in the past. Moreover, their popularity increases the demand for programs that can slip past their defenses. More than adequate virus and spyware protection can be had for free, thanks to the efforts of friendly software engineers around the Web. Spybot Search and Destroy, one of the oldest and most trusted names in the computer security world, has been keeping spyware out of networks since 2002.
With antivirus software, the choice is not so clear, with most reviewers caught between the programs AVG and Avast. Having used both I will say that though AVG comes out a little ahead in performance, Avast is more user-friendly, with its VCR-like interface, all you have to do is push play and Avast will execute a thorough scan of your system.
Each of these programs come fully supported and will more than fill your need for PC protection and, perhaps best of all, they're FREE. Just follow the links at the bottom of this article and say goodbye to expensive corporate security suites. For those of you who hate getting something for nothing, the creators of each of these products also accept donations via their respective Web sites.
ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARES:
- McAfee.
- AVG.
- Avast.
- Norton.
- etc.
FREE ONLINE SCANNING:
- beatdefender.com
- infectedornot.com
ANTISPYWARES SOFTWARES:
- Spybot Search.
- Destroy.
- etc.
Lucy 
Much like the TV commercials that came before, Internet banner ads are often very misleading.
With one click on that friendly, flashing ad, your computer may be completely compromised by spyware, viruses, and other malicious programs. These links are designed by online marketing groups who hire out to many different companies and are paid by the number of times someone visits the site that pays for the ad.
Now, we all know that advertising is a necessary part of business, the trouble with the Internet today is that ad companies will use any means necessary to obtain more "hits" for as many different sites as possible. This could mean placing more attractive ads, but more often it involves downloading harmful software to your computer that forces your browser onto different sites. These hijacker programs can change your homepage, redirect links, and even alter the page you're viewing as you view it.
Many of us have watched in horror as our favorite newsfeeds disintegrated into explicit pornographic advertising. Often this rude awakening has nothing whatsoever to do with actually visiting any of the Web sites advertised, but rather their affiliates, people who use the same ad company.
"But how do I keep that junk off my computer?"
To keep your computer running smooth and spyware-free, it is important to keep reputable antivirus and antispyware programs up-to-date, running a deep scan at least once a month.
Many computers nowadays come with some kind of antivirus already installed, typically Norton or McAfee. These are both fine programs, but they have let me down in the past. Moreover, their popularity increases the demand for programs that can slip past their defenses. More than adequate virus and spyware protection can be had for free, thanks to the efforts of friendly software engineers around the Web. Spybot Search and Destroy, one of the oldest and most trusted names in the computer security world, has been keeping spyware out of networks since 2002.
With antivirus software, the choice is not so clear, with most reviewers caught between the programs AVG and Avast. Having used both I will say that though AVG comes out a little ahead in performance, Avast is more user-friendly, with its VCR-like interface, all you have to do is push play and Avast will execute a thorough scan of your system.
Each of these programs come fully supported and will more than fill your need for PC protection and, perhaps best of all, they're FREE. Just follow the links at the bottom of this article and say goodbye to expensive corporate security suites. For those of you who hate getting something for nothing, the creators of each of these products also accept donations via their respective Web sites.
ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARES:
- McAfee.
- AVG.
- Avast.
- Norton.
- etc.
FREE ONLINE SCANNING:
- beatdefender.com
- infectedornot.com
ANTISPYWARES SOFTWARES:
- Spybot Search.
- Destroy.
- etc.
Lucy 
