Best Spyware Blocking Software Online

By: Mike Rothwell

The major threats to your computers security include viruses, adware and spyware. These are scripts or programs written to infect your computer and they often spread from one computer to another.

Spyware is designed to covertly infect a computer for the purpose of "spying" or obtaining personal information from that computer or from other computers on the same network. When used effectively the computer user is unaware of the spyware's presence. The user continues to use the computer in a normal matter as the software collects information and sends it to the party, generally known as hackers, who are spreading the spyware. In some cases, the spyware may send the collected information to some other third party. Spyware blockers are software programs designed to protect your computer from spyware.

Anti Spyware software usually detect spyware before it reaches a user's computer. Generally they will detect websites that are known to infect computers with malicious software. The spyware blocker software regularly updates itself from the software provider's website so that it is familiar with the latest types of malware threats.

If your anti spyware software detects a threatening program trying to install itself on the protected computer, it directly blocks the installation. If spyware is already installed on the protected computer, the spyware blocker will remove or quarantine the malicious software.

Because hackers are continuously creating new spyware threats designed to beat the latest blocking software, there is a constant need to keep protection software updated. Companies that provide spyware blockers constantly monitor internet traffic in search of new threats. When a new spyware program is detected, the spyware blocker developer team must quickly assess the threat and develop a protective solution. This solution is then placed on the provider's website for downloading during automatic updates by the spyware blockers installed on remote computers.

In order to keep your personal computer safe at all times, spyware blockers usually provide realtime protection against threats on your network. Spyware is different than viruses or worms in that the software is usually not spread from one computer to another. Instead the users are generally tricked into installing programs that they think are harmless, or that are deceptively bundled with other reliable software. Some spyware software will use phishing techniques pretending to be another well-known program, or at times they will even take on the guise of free security systems.

One common trick used by spyware designers is to create a program that pretends to check your computer for updates, speed, security, or some other problem, and then asks you to download free software to fix that problem. The spyware may even claim to have detected other spyware programs on your computer, after which it requests that you download a security solution that is in reality a spyware program.

Because of the constant presence of threats, and the great difficulty of the average user in detecting all these threats, real time protection is necessary to make sure none of your personal information, or other confidential information, is compromised. With real time spyware blockers, your computer is constantly monitored for possible threats. If you attempt to download malware, for example, the real time monitor will instantly act to block the installation and warn you by identifying the malicious program.