Free Anti-spyware tools
There are many spyware-removers that are absolutely free to download. Many of these programs function almost the same as and sometimes even better than some of the non-free ones. Why select a non-free version when you can have almost the same protection for nothing? If you are interested in downloading free spyware scanners, run a search in your favorite search engine for terms like “free spyware removal tools”, or something similar and you can get a good number of tools. Nonetheless, exercise caution before installing spyware scanners as there are many fake spyware scanners.
Careful! Many “rouge” spyware removal tools themselves have spyware or ad ware. For security reasons, always download spyware scanners from reliable download sites like Downloads.com. These sites include software only after a thorough analysis. In addition, they also offer user reviews which are helpful in giving a better picture of the software you want to download and install.
When you down-load any binary application from websites, always scan with a virus scanner before opening/installing. Most rouge spyware removers can be detected by scanning with genuine anti-virus scanners. So this can stop rouge spyware removal tools from getting installed on your PC. Sometimes you may also see pop up messages or fake Windows dialog boxes displaying “WARNING! Your system is at risk! Buy [software name] to keep your system safe!”. These may be rogue spyware removers that will infect your computer system with trojans/spyware/adware if you download them.
One of the best free anti-spyware software is Micro Soft Windows defender. Windows defender is installed by default in the latest OS–Vista and is also available as a free download for Xp. You have to validate your Windows copy to download and install it on your computer. It protects your computer from popup advertisements, slow system performance, and security issues from spyware and adware by finding and removing known spyware and malwate from your PC in real-time.
Another recommended anti-spyware tool is Ad-Aware Free edition. This software is free for personal use only and it should not be used for profit purposes. The latest edition features many new features like advanced malware detection against spyware, adware, trojans & hijackers, fraud tools & fake applications, key loggers and enhanced rootkit removal system. It is also very light on memory.
* For more information on spyware check out the free spyware removal page.