Spyware refers to dangerous programs that usually secretly install themselves on the computers. This spyware once installed, gets information concerning the user including both his internet usage and personal information. It follows then, that anti spyware programs works to negate the effects of this spyware. It alerts the user about the existence of this spyware and gives the user the option of either removing the affected files, registry keys and directories or gives an option of quarantine them.
Since different viruses have different operational mechanisms, anti spyware programs on the other hand has different modes of operation and hasa variety of ways of detecting and removing them. One of these ways is hard disk scan. The anti spyware uses a database of the spyware already known, and checks the hard disk for the virus. Each virus, just like any other programs, leaves a mark on the hard disk which is commonly referred to as finger prints or signature in the registry of the operating system. Some anti spyware may miss the viruses that disguise as authentic programs if they wholly focus on the registry.
These mean that better anti spyware programs are the ones that have a larger database of known viruses. This is the reason that anti spyware programs requires frequent updates, in order to be effective in a world where new viruses are continually being introduced through the internet. This makes the supplies of these programs sell them on subscription terms. The other mode of anti-spy ware operation is by use of the registry scan. A registry is an area of a computer which contains important information that refers to computers program installations, alterations and personal changes. Damage to these files greatly affects the performance of the computer. Here the program examines the virus on the windows configuration folders and files.
Memory is among the key important components of a computer and as a result, many tools have been created to examine the memory and ensure that it is functioning well. A faulty memory can cause computer to be very difficult to operate and sluggish. Memory scan on the other hand is where the anti spyware examines processes running on the PC for viral activity.
The other technique employed by super anti spyware programs is that of checking the URLs by examining the cookies against the already known data base of spyware. Cookies are usually the files associated with the web browser. They usually store information on your computer that is used by other websites in order to boot faster. Some malicious programs are normally hidden inside the cookies by the malicious users of internet. These malicious programs track your online activities. So the anti spyware will locate these programs in the cookies. After locating a virus activity, it warns the user, just like the other anti spyware.
It is therefore very important to ensure that your computers have anti spyware programs installed. Furthermore it is important to ensure that it is frequently updated with new spyware definitions. An anti spyware with out dated database of virus definitions is not as effective as it should be in protecting your computer.
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