Adware is advertising-supported software. It is software that can be downloaded free from the Web, but contains banner advertisements that create revenue for the company. Adware is software that is installed on your computer the same way spyware is, but it's used for less harmful applications. Adware can change your home page, add extra bookmarks to your web browser, put advertisements on your desktop, and change your search results on Internet search engines like Yahoo and Google to advertisements.

Spyware is software that is installed on your computer without your knowledge, and is used to steal your personal information. This information can include web browsing habits, email addresses, credit card numbers, and more. It is installed on your computer automatically when you download seemingly innocent free software. Spyware then sends information about you to the software distributor. Usually the information sent is benign in nature, mostly concerning general marketing information.

Some common symptoms of spyware include

• Your browser crashes frequently;
• Your computer runs slower;
• Your computer takes longer to start up;
• "Illegal Operation" errors occur;
• Pop-up advertisements appear when you are offline; and
• The default homepage of your browser changes without your knowledge.

To avoid adware / spyware:

• Donwload and install software only from online sources that you trust. In particular, be careful with free music and movie file-sharing programs. Ad-supported applications can also be sources of spyware. Close windows contianing pop-up ads or warnings by closing the entire window using the x-icon in the upper right corner; do not click within the window.
• When installing downloaded software, read the license agreement (yes, we know, but do it anyway) before selecting "Agree" or "OK". Read any privacy statements. If you can't find, or understand, them or they include any questionable statements, abort the installation by closing the window in which it's occurring.

If you already have Spyware or Adware on your computer, the top two legitimate anti-spyware programs are Spybot Search and Destroy (www.security.kolla.de) and Ad-Aware (www.lavasoftusa.com).

Note: Alameda Power & Telecom does not endorse any of these programs; we offer this for informational purposes only. There are fake programs that claim to remove these pests for a fee, but don't. You may wish to consult Spyware Warrior's Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites before installing any purported anti-spyware program.

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