| Spyware exists as independent executable programs; they have the ability to monitor keystrokes, scan files on your hard drive, snoop other applications, such as chat programs or word processors, install other spyware programs, read cookies, change the default home page on the Web browser, consistently relaying
this information back to the spyware author who will either use it for advertising/marketing purposes or sell the information to another party.
- from http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/s/spyware.html Most spyware isn't a virus per se, so your antivirus won't provide you with much protection. Before you install ANY program that you've downloaded from the Internet, visit SpyChecker.com To get rid of spyware already installed on your system, we recommend Ad-Aware. Ad-aware is a free
utility that scans your computer's memory, registry, and hard drives for known spyware. Ad-aware then lets you remove any or all of the spyware that you find hiding on your computer.
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