Is Your PC Affected by Spyware?

Unauthorized adware and spyware usually install on your computer covertly by using one of two methods:

• Tricking you into clicking a link that installs it. Links to spyware can be deceptive. For example, a Web site that's trying to push spyware onto your computer might open a window that looks like a Windows dialog box, and then trick you by installing when you click a Cancel button to close the dialog box. Sometimes, spyware pushers will put a fake title bar in an empty window, and then install spyware when you try closing the window.

• Installing freeware that includes it. For example, you might install a free file-sharing program that surreptitiously installs spyware on your computer. File-sharing programs can be a major conveyor of adware.

Prevention and detection:-

Programs have been developed to detect, quarantine, and remove spyware. As there are many examples of adware software that are also spyware or malware, many of these detection programs have been developed to detect, quarantine, and remove adware as well. Among the more prominent of these applications are Ad-Aware and Spybot - Search & Destroy. These programs are designed specifically for spyware detection and will not detect viruses, although some commercial antivirus software can also detect adware and spyware, or offer a separate spyware detection package.
Many Anti Adware Softwares are latest versions of McAfee VirusScan, Norton AntiVirus, and Trend Micro PC-Cillin

Adware or advertising-supported software is any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertisements to a computer after the software is installed on it or while the application is being used. Some types of adware are also spyware and can be classified as privacy-invasive software.
Some companies provide "free" software in exchange for advertising on your display. It's how they make their money.

Some Adware programs/programs distributed with Adware

# 123 Messenger
# 180 Solutions
# Adobe Reader
# AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)
# Yahoo Messenger
# Zango
# Zango Toolbar
# Zwinky etc.