TrickBot is once again making itself known during tax season and attempting to steal your hard-earned money. TrickBot was originally discovered in October of but has since changed and evolved dramatically into one of the most prolific attacks today Anatova is the nickname given to a new brand of sophisticated ransomware that looks to encrypt your personal or business files and then demands payment to decipher them Vidar is a relatively new keylogging, data-stealing malware campaign.
It is generally distributed through malicious advertisements on less-than-reputable sites such as bit torrent or free video streaming sites. These malvertisements redirect their victims to various exploit kits such as Fallout and GrandSoft, which in turn will infect your machine with various malevolent payloads such as Vidar Hancitor, also known as Chanitor, is known for dropping its payloads rather than downloading them post-infection, as well as for a unique phishing approach to trick users into downloading and activating Microsoft Word documents with malicious macros Delivered through malicious spam campaigns, Loki focuses on stealing credentials off the victim computer and runs a keylogger.
Small Business Owner. Intego is my favorite Mac-only anti-spyware protection in It has comprehensive spyware protection as well as some excellent extra features, like a customizable backup feature, parental controls, clean-up features, and more.
Intego offers a day risk-free money-back guarantee. Download Intego Now. MacKeeper is an antivirus suite for macOS that quickly removes spyware and other threats. When I tested it, the malware scanner took 30 minutes to scan every file on my Mac. The plan is for a single device, but you can pay extra for coverage on up to 3 devices.
MacKeeper offers a day money-back guarantee. MacKeeper is a decent antivirus suite for Mac with good spyware protection. Download MacKeeper Now. Adaware has grown from a pretty simple adware-blocker to a decent antivirus that offers protection against spyware, ransomware, and other threats.
But Adaware underperformed in my general malware tests, failing to catch a lot of advanced ransomware and cryptojacker files that the other brands on this list successfully detected.
Adaware provides a variety of additional features. Its Digital Lock feature is pretty good — it can encrypt, password protect, and permanently delete sensitive files. Adaware is a decent anti-spyware program that also offers good file encryption and protection tools.
Download Adaware Now. The free version only performs on-demand scanning. SpywareBlaster is a good anti-spyware app for browsers that specializes in blocking ActiveX malware. ActiveX is a tool that provides interactive website content.
ActiveX controls can be useful — they allow you to play media and fill in forms on websites. But hackers can also use ActiveX controls to gain access to your system. Once inside your system, hackers can install keylogging software, steal your private files, and access your webcam.
SpywareBlaster offers both free and paid versions. The paid version, SpywareBlaster Autoupdate , provides automatic updating, multi-user coverage, and technical support.
SpywareBlaster blocks spyware that hijacks your computer via ActiveX website content. Download SpywareBlaster Now. Spybot — Search and Destroy uses active scanning to prevent spyware and other types of malware from making changes on your computer. Multiple Scan Options schedule either quick, complete, or critical scans to fit your lifestyle. Real-Time Threat Blocking stops malicious files from running as soon as they are detected.
Automatic Updates ensure the program is running with the latest database definitions. Email Notifications get emails with scan results so you can monitor PCs remotely.
Multi-Dimensional Scanning a next-generation scanning system that goes beyond the typical rules-based methods. Internet tracking is a common practice used to follow your web activities—like browsing history and downloads—mostly for marketing purposes. System monitors are a type of spyware that can capture just about everything you do on your computer.
System monitors can record all of your keystrokes, emails, chat room dialogs, websites visited, and programs run.
System monitors are often disguised as freeware. What does spyware actually do? The better you understand how spyware works, the better you can defend against it. Generally, spyware:. How do you get spyware? Well, it was once more of a problem for Windows operating systems, but that's no longer strictly the case. Basically, if your device can connect to the internet , it can be infected with spyware.
Spyware creators may use clever tricks to deceive you. The spyware may be packaged alongside free software made to seem like a useful tool, or in an email attachment that seems legitimate.
Like a spy, it works covertly, gathering intel about you. You may have a spyware issue if your computer shows these symptoms:. Spyware creators tend to cast a broad net to gather vast amounts of information from as many people as possible. That's why it's important to take precautions and practice good internet safety. Although anyone who uses the internet can potentially get spyware on their devices, there are ways to prevent spyware infections.
Spyware authors have sophisticated ways of tricking internet users into unwittingly downloading spyware.
It pays to treat anything unexpected or unknown that appears on your device or in your email inbox as suspect until proven otherwise. Spyware is a common problem for internet users. If you think your device has been infected, there are steps you can take to remedy the problem.
If you suspect your desktop or laptop computer has been infected with spyware, take these steps to identify the infection and remove it:. Once you've cleaned your system, consider adding an ounce of prevention. There are high-quality anti-spyware tools available that will monitor your system continuously to help prevent spyware from accessing or modifying your personal information. Mobile devices can become infected with spyware, too. If you've noticed any signs of infection, there are steps you can take to remove the spyware.
If uninstalling apps and running a malware scan doesn't fix the problem, consider backing up your data and then factory resetting your phone.
Your work isn't quite finished once the spyware has been removed from your device. There are some steps you should take to protect your personal data from being further exposed.
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