| Spyware is a broad group of harmful software | | | | spyware was used in a press release for new |
| programs that can infect your computer and transmit | | | | software from Zone Labs: the Zone Alarm Person |
| information about you back to its owner. To avoid | | | | Firewall. In the press release, the term spyware was |
| being infected by Spyware, it is necessary to install a | | | | specifically used for malicious software programs that |
| good Anti-Spyware program that will detect and | | | | send information back from an infected computer to |
| remove Spyware from your computer. A good | | | | the spyware owner. Today, the term spyware is |
| Anti-Spyware program should also be capable of | | | | rarely used for espionage cameras or other types of |
| alerting you when a Spyware program tries to infect | | | | off-line equipment. The same year a very popular |
| your computer. Today, there are a lot of free | | | | freeware, a computer game called Elf Bowling, began |
| Spyware remover programs available online. Many of | | | | to spread among the Internet users. Eventually, the |
| them are easy to download, install and manage, but | | | | users found out that Elf Bowling included Adware, and |
| their quality will vary so it is important that you look | | | | that information about the players was sent back to |
| around and compare different free spyware remover | | | | the creator of the game, a company called Nsoft. |
| programs before you make up your mind. You can | | | | Today, many programmers and companies have |
| also take advantage of the fact that they are free, | | | | created their own free spyware remover programs. It |
| and try several programs on your computer before | | | | is very common that a free spyware remover can be |
| you decide to stick with one of them. As of 2005, | | | | upgraded to a more advanced version for a fee. As |
| spyware is chiefly a problem for computer users that | | | | mentioned above, Steve Gibson created the first free |
| are running any of the Microsoft Windows operating | | | | spyware remover - OptOut. He was to be followed |
| systems. There are however a few spyware | | | | by free spyware remover programs from Lavasoft, |
| programs in the form of worms that are capable of | | | | the Ad-Aware spyware remover, and from Patrick |
| infecting Linux and other Unix platforms. Installing a free | | | | Kolla - the Spybot Search & Destroy. Later |
| spyware remover is therefore advisable regardless of | | | | SpySweeper from Webroot become one of the most |
| which operating system you are using. | | | | popular free spyware remover programs. Naturally, |
| The very first free spyware remover was called | | | | Microsoft also developed their own free spyware |
| OptOut and was created in 2000 by Steve Gibson of | | | | remover. They bought the GIANT Anti-Spyware |
| Gibson Research. Spyware had then been a problem | | | | software and changed it into Windows AntiSpyware. |
| for Internet users for several years. The first known | | | | The GIANT Anti-Spyware software is also licensed to |
| use of the term "spyware" is from 1995, when a | | | | Sunbelt Software and used in their free spyware |
| poster in Usenet made fun of Microsoft's business | | | | remover program CounterSpy. Companies such as |
| model. In the beginning, spyware was a term used for | | | | McAfee, Sophos and Symantec are also offering free |
| all types of espionage equipment, including tiny | | | | spyware remover programs as a part of their |
| cameras for microfilming and similar. In 1999, the term | | | | anti-virus programs. |