Protecting Your PC
Spyware > Spyware Challenge
Spyware Challenge: Find out if you know enough to protect your PC from spyware!
1. What does a spyware programme do?
- It performs tasks on your computer without your consent and control.
- It lets you secretly read other people's e-mail.
- It blocks advertisements from popping up while you surf the Web.
It performs tasks on your computer without your consent and control. This can include installing pop-up advertising or collecting your personal information.
2. How can you tell if spyware is on your computer?
- You see pop-up advertisements all the time and your computer slows down.
- Your settings have changed (for example, your browser home page) and you cannot change them back to the way they were.
- Your Web browser contains additional components that you don't remember downloading.
- By scanning with an anti-spyware program.
- All of the above.
Your computer may be infected with spyware if you see more pop-up advertisements, or if your settings or homepage have changed. The only sure way is to scan regularly.
3. Which of the following actions will not help to protect your computer against spyware?
- Downloading and installing the latest security updates.
- Using a firewall.
- Installing anti-spyware protection.
- Only downloading programmes from Web sites you trust.
- Trusting all license agreements and privacy statements.
Whenever you install anything on your computer, make sure you carefully read the license agreement and privacy statement. You should also ask your Internet Service Provider about installing a firewall, anti-spyware software, a spam blocker, and antivirus software.
4. What should you do if spyware is on your computer?
- Download a spyware removal tool.
- Install a spyware removal tool.
- Both download and install a spyware removal tool.
Download and install spyware removal tools. If you don't know how to do this, check Useful Tools.
5. How can you get spyware?
- Download programmes from sources you don't know.
- Download music, movies, and other software from file-sharing programmes on the Internet or from other computers.
- Download any software without carefully reading all disclosures, including the license agreement and privacy statement.
- Browse the Internet
- Any of the above.
Any of the above. Avoid downloading programmes from sources you don't know, downloading software from file-sharing programmes, or downloading any software without carefully reading all disclosures, including the license agreement and privacy statement. Scan regularly!
Congratulations! You've completed the Spyware Challenge!
With over 100,000 viruses on the loose, you need to know how to protect your PC. Continue to Viruses.
You can use this to get print outs of the Useful Tools content. 
Software: Systems software such as Windows operates the computer itself. Applications software such as word processing programmes allow you to work on the computer.
Download: Transferring or copying files from one computer to another.
Homepage: The first page on a web site which introduces the site and shows how to get around it.
Software: Systems software such as Windows operates the computer itself. Applications software such as word processing programmes allow you to work on the computer.
Virus: A program that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge.
File sharing: Accessing files on one computer from a different computer.
Internet Service Providers: A company that sells direct access to the internet e.g Microsoft; Yahoo; AOL.
Popups: Unsolicited adverts that suddenly appear.
Web browser: A programme that allows you to find, view, hear and interact with material on the web e.g. Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Privacy statement: Description of the personal information collected by the site, how this will be used, with whom it will be shared and whether or not you can control how it is being used.
Anti Virus: Software that spots and removes computer viruses.
Links, tips and more advice on internet security.