Spyware 'sometimes as aggressive as a virus'

Friday, 4 Apr 2008. Categories: UK

Often, spyware programs are so problematic that the owner of the infected PC believes it to be a virus, an expert has explained.

Christopher Null, the writer of a Yahoo! technology blog, commented that - especially with Vista - the pop-ups and alerts caused by the unwanted program can appear to be a virus.

He urged people who believe their machines may have been compromised by spyware or a virus to run anti-spyware software and an anti-virus program to discover what is on their machine.

Then, they should fix any problems their software flags up and reboot normally, Mr Null continued.

In some extreme cases, where a virus has really taken hold, it can sometimes be necessary for a victim to wipe their hard drive, he warned.

"Once you're up and running, reinstall your anti-virus and anti-spyware applications and stay vigilant against infection," the expert concluded.

For many people, one of the more frustrating aspects of a virus infection is that the malware then targets their family and friends.

Often such programs are designed to email themselves to the recipient's friends and family, spreading the infection still further.

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Spyware 'sometimes as aggressive as a virus'

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