In this article I will try to explain how to secure yourself and your computer from the threats that exists online today. I guess you have heard of computer viruses. Well, these threats surely exists, but today there are a new breed of threats that takes the internet by storm. And in real numbers, viruses pale in comparison. What I am talking about is spyware. Read more to learn how to protect yourself from these parasites.

You have most likely been one of the many victims of spyware. There are several thousands of them online today, and still growing at an incredible rate. They are designed to spy on what you do online, which pages you visit, what information you send, or even to steal the codes for your bank accounts or other accounts. Some of them will only spy on you to be able to target pop-up ads on your computer screen. If you have installed a pop-up blocker, they won'y bother you. But some are using a new type of pop-up called "pop-under". These ads slips through a pop-up blocking software because they are not a small pop-up window, but a new full-blown webpage that lays over everything that is on your computerscreen.

So, if you are experiencing that your computer is running slow or hanging, even after you have installed a fresh operating system, then you should try to check for spyware. They infect you from suspicious sites, especially porn sites and warez(pirate) sites. Very often you are asked to install a codec to play a video or something. You go ahead and install it, but no video appears, and nothing seems to happen at all. This is when you propably have to look for spyware again. To find these creeps, you will need a spyware detector. There are many good ones, but there are also many that isn't that great. So you will need to read some reviews and tests to find the one best suitable for your needs. This brings me over to another type that I urge you to be aware of. They are really sly, and you might not believe it when you read this, but I assure you that these things exist.

Again I talk about a new breed of threats. But this kind is very tricky to get rid of. Maybe you have noticed that a security warning from "security center". It claims that you have a serious problem with your system, and you need to fix it right away. You are asked to click on the button to fix it immediately, or to fix it later by closing the warning. No matter which button you push, you are sent to a website which is offering you some fantastic anti-spyware software. Be aware. This is nothing but spyware that has infected your system, and the only problem you will get rid of with this software is the spyware they have created themselves. It won't fix anything else. For most people this security warning looks pretty scary, and they will go ahead and purchase this so-called anti-spyware software. Well, you will most likely get rid of the warnings that pops up constantly. But remember that the problem was created by the same people that offers you the fix. I don't think they deserve any money at all.

I hear a question coming up now; how to get rid of the disturbing warnings without paying? I have a solution that has worked for me all the times I have been infected. That is to format the harddrive and reinstall the OS(operating system). But this is no method that I prefer, since it takes a lot of time, and you have to set up your computer again. We are talking about several hours of work here. So, before you go ahead and do this, I recommend that you scan your computer with every piece of anti-spyware and anti-virus software that you posess. Maybe you are lucky and get rid of it, but in most cases it is stuck. Anyway, it is well worth a try. Or ofcourse, you could pay the thirty bucks, or whatever it costs, and you very easily solve the problem. Again, this is nothing I recommend.

Just to mention it, these warnings is more a disturbance than a real threat. If you decide to reinstall your system, you absolutely have time to take backups. They are relatively harmless, but very annoying. So in time you want to get rid of it. Which method you choose is up to you ofcourse. If you'd like to know more about computer security, I recommend that you visit the website described below.

Raymond Johansen is the CEO/Founder of FreePcAssistance.com - A website dedicated to online security. Visit us when you experience a computer running slow and you need a free spyware removal.