Let me tell you something - you can't stay immune to spyware in all it's forms regardless of what you do. The possibilities are literally endless and proliferating daily. Methods used to infect you are almost as numerous as the malware themselves and many of the culprits are notoriously hard to eradicate. Some of the most likely sources are downloading freeware, clicking on pop up ads and surfing surreptitious sites offering porn, gambling possibilities and pirated music and DVD's.

Trojans, keyloggers and the like are primarily designed to capture your personal information such as bank accounts, passwords, credit card numbers and make illicit internet connections. Such connections may link you with premium services including long distance telephone charges any of which will result in substantial charges for your account. There are other applications which will record your computer usage habits and you will end up with a deluge of unwanted advertising. Remember your preciously guarded identity is at risk here.

If you have never run a scan of your computer, it is almost certain that you have been infected. Typically your computer will gradually run more slowly. There may be changes that you have not authorized in your internet bookmarks or favorites and your browser homepage may suddenly change without your involvement. If the amount of pop ups escalates radically it's very likely that malware of some type is embedded in your machine. Slow to load programs, extended system start ups and browser crashes are very strong signals that the infections resident now on your computer are at a dangerous level.

Inevitable, the average Joe computer guy will begin to avoid using the computer every chance they get. In the end, things go from bad to worse when your computer slows to a crawl and you are prevented form using software that is vital to you on a personal or professional basis. Start a protection protocol by turning off any install on demand option so that programs are not automatically installed. This will not stop you downloading needed programs. While in that segment of your operating instructions, make sure you set all the options appropriately and at the most secure level consistent with your use of the system.

Running a well documented and respected anti spyware tool scan will rid your system of most spyware threats. A second one that uses a different database may be a necessary adjunct to remove the rest. Personally, I recommend removing internet cookies before you do the scan since it will run a lot faster that way.

Your anti spyware program should be set to continuously scan the machine and should also have a proactive feature to prevent future infection. Make sure that your software is updated frequently and maintain a watching brief over the latest threats and remedies to make sure you are aware of the latest possibilities. Stay safe - it's well worth your while and being pro active to prevent any attempt to steal your identity and plunder your assets is just basic good sense. John Garvey is a respected authority in the field of malware infection of both business and personal computers. His articles are featured at the website http://www.spyware-gone.com where most of your questions can be answered