OZCOMM SPYWARE AND ADWARE HELP PAGE
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An important point to remember is that firewalls and anti-virus programs, while very helpful in many ways, offer little or no protection at all from spyware or adware so you need to implement other measures. If you are on a high speed broadband connection then a hardware firewall is highly recommended.

1.) Run a virus scan with an up to date Anti-Virus software package (like Norton, McAfee, or AVG) to make sure that the spyware is the only problem slowing your computer down. OzComm suggests AVG free edition.

2.) Download a copy of Spybot Search and Destroy AND Ad-Aware which will identify and eliminate most of the spyware and adware programs. These programs are free and make a great team. The instructions for installing and using are straightforward and both should be run weekly. Don't forget to update them regularly, too.

There is also a program called SpyAudit which will tell you whether or not you have spyware or adware. It will not remove it, but is a quick scan to let you know if you have a problem and your degree of risk. Look to the upper right of the page under "Free Privacy Tests" to find the Spy Audit link. Just follow it and view the results.

3.) Download a popup stopper/blocker. We suggest Popup Stopper, but you can try Google. It has a free toolbar that you can download that has a built in popup blocker. Yahoo and MSN also have free popup blockers. Another option is to use a different browser than Internet Explorer. Netscape, Mozilla, and Opera all have built in popup blockers. Avant is a great addon to Internet Explorer and has a pop up blocker.

4.) Delete your cookies and temporary Internet files. You can store a lot of these when you're browsing awhile. This can contribute to slowing your computer down also. On your Internet Explorer Menu, Select "Tools", the "Internet Options" which you can delete the cookies and Files in the "General" tab.