Some things get onto your computer that can totally crash your system, and some things are less frightening, but still bothersome. Viruses, malware, spyware and adware are all common terms you may hear in regards to what can be downloaded to your system without your knowledge, but do you know what each does? Of all of these, the adware and spyware are probably the most harmless of the four, but they can still cause you trouble or aggravation. If you know more about them you can then decide if you want to make sure you get rid of them.
In general, spyware and adware may be the most common thing that you can accidentally pick up online. They intent behind these is not malicious like with malware or viruses, but you should realize that you should have the right to decide if you want such software spying on you as you browse the Internet. When you download anything online, you take the chance of something else being included with that download, and you may never know it until you have problems with your system.
Spyware and adware both spy on what you do online, but for the most part, in a very anonymous way. They will record where you go online, what you do there, how much time you spend on each site, and what you buy, if you are shopping. This information is gathered from thousands, if not millions, of other surfers and then sold as bulk information to advertisers. Rarely will either adware or spyware send your information out that can be personally traced to you. You are just a number to be sold.
Some of this software also works right on your system. It records the same type of information and then uses it to show you ads that you are more likely to respond to and click on. Some people find this disturbing, and others don't mind it. However, having software doing this without your knowledge is a bit troublesome. If you are okay with your information being compiled by spyware and adware, you may not be okay with your system lagging and even crashing due to this software running in the background. Some web sites can share your information and show you ads without the software, but only on their own site.
You can get these programs on your system from downloading things from the wrong places, but you can also get them from sites that you trust. When you download a game, for example, there maybe spyware and adware included in in your download. Your best bet is to go out and find a spyware and/or adware scanner that can find and remove any software from your system that you do not wish to have running on your computer. Some of these programs to clean your computer are going to be free, and some come with a small price tag. Almost all of them, however, will show you what you have for free, which can be a real eye opening experience.