Help! Spywares!

My mom accidentally downloaded something into our computer, and now we're getting all these annoying pop-ups. In the past I would have run Spybot Search and Destroy, but somewhere down the road I may have accidentally deleted it.

:club:

Where can I download a (free) program to remove all these spywares?

While we're at it, what can spywares (and maybe viruses) do and what kind of precautions should I take? Keep in mind that I'm computer illiterate and highly paranoid.

I once had this same problem with an old PC that I learned on. I downloaded something called zone alarm and used a 14 day free trial. After the free trial I just carried on using my at the time AVG FREE. Don't know if zone alarm still do the free trial but search for it and I am sure you well find out. If they do then do it. It worked for me

I'm going through something similar. The other computer here has something that is causing fake security pop ups. I can't find the cause manually.

download kaspersky. It has a one month trial

Or search in google for "malware bytes anti malware" and download it. Its free

I will move this over to Technical Computer Support area.

Presuming you want free options, then I would recommend choosing two of the following three, and using them both:

Spybot Search and Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/index2.html

Microsoft Windows Defender (this comes with Vista, but you can download it for XP sp2)
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/default.mspx

Ad-Aware
http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/

None of these are trial versions, and are all effective in their own way.

Ok, common things that malicious programs (and for this, I am including viruses, malware, and spyware) can do:

Use up your bandwith
Eat up your memory
Data loss, including corruption of key files
Record personal data, including passwords.
Change the way your browser works.. create popups, change your homepage etc.
Make your computer host contraband data, such as child pornography.
Use your computer to attack other computers, and engage in other illegal activities.

This is just some of the things that can be done... so ummm.. keep your computers clean, you here?

So long as you dont do online banking, theres nothing to worry about, just re install windows

Porman said:

So long as you dont do online banking, theres nothing to worry about, just re install windows

Click to expand...

yep, although malwarebytes or spybot do a heroic job of cleaning this sort of crud, you get a better result in the end if you "nuke and pave"

cheers
Gavin.