Whenever we use our computers on the Internet, we can be victims of a wide variety of attacks. Hackers can find a way to steal information, passwords, damage our computers … An example is adware . We are going to explain what it consists of. We will also give some essential tips to protect ourselves and what to do in case we are already victims.
What is adware
Adware is one of the many security threats that we can find on the Internet. It is a software that is capable of flooding us with advertising . It is usually present in browsers, but it could also affect the operating system, either on a desktop computer or on a mobile device.
It is very common that when entering a web page, additional search bars appear, pop-up messages that affect the proper functioning and slow down the connection. We can say that it is unwanted software, that sometimes we have installed without really knowing what it is about and on other occasions it has been added because of another type of malware that is on the computer.
Is adware dangerous? Here we must indicate that it could be dangerous for our safety, while at other times it could not present more than a simple annoyance. This is so since sometimes its mission is simply to flood our browser with pop-ups and advertising. This is not really going to affect our security, nor is it going to spread viruses.
On the other hand, on other occasions, a hacker could use adware precisely to sneak malware. You could send us advertising through the browser in the hope that we will click on it and download some kind of malicious software.
How to protect ourselves from adware
We have seen what adware consists of, a problem that could compromise our security and damage the proper functioning of our computers. Now we are going to see some very important tips to protect ourselves and avoid being victims of this problem. Many of these recommendations are common to also protect us from other similar threats that can compromise our computers.
Have the equipment protected
One of the first steps we must take is to have the equipment properly protected . That means having a good antivirus, as well as other security tools that we can install on the system and also in the browser, where we often come across adware.
But having your computer protected is not simply installing an antivirus . We can also have other programs such as a firewall. But also, it is important to keep in mind that we must install the latest patches and security updates that are available. Only then will we correct possible vulnerabilities that may exist and that could be the gateway for hackers.
Install only secure software
Of course, another issue to consider is installing only secure software . We must always download from legitimate sources, official stores, and not compromise our equipment. It is precisely when installing programs or add-ons that are not reliable one of the most common entries of malware.
Sometimes we can find the possibility of installing a third-party program that has interesting functions and that can come in handy for our day to day. However, we do not really know if it could be a scam, if it could contain malware and compromise our computers. Hence, our recommendation is always to opt for reliable sources.
Protect the browser, something essential
The browser is the most common place to come across adware. It can appear when installing an insecure extension, for example. Therefore, we must take care of the security of the browser at all times. It is essential that you are protected, that you have safe add-ons and that you do not install anything that could be a danger.
Here it is important to highlight the use of extensions. We have a wide range of possibilities at our disposal, but by no means all of them are secure. We must install only those that we are really going to need, that can really serve us. It is not a good idea to have so many add-ons working, since in addition to being a security hazard, it could also affect the performance of the browser itself.
Periodically check the computer for malware
Equally important is the fact of frequently checking the security of the system and verifying that there is no type of malware . For this we can make use of the antivirus and carry out a complete analysis to see if there is any threat. There are many options that we have available for all types of operating systems.
How to remove adware from the system
After seeing how to avoid adware on the system, many readers may have run into the problem that their computers are already infected. Therefore we are going to give some interesting recommendations to eliminate it.
Clear the browser
One of the first steps we can take is to clean the browser . We have indicated that it is one of the programs most affected by adware. Many times it comes through a malicious extension that we have installed, for example.
Therefore, we must see that there is no add-on that is causing problems. It is essential that we keep the browser properly safe, clean, without additional software that may pose a problem.
Perform a scan on the system
We can also scan the system for threats. Perhaps it has entered through some malicious software. Thanks to having an antivirus we will be able to carry out an analysis and detect these types of threats and be able to eliminate them quickly, before they can affect security even more.
Reinstall the browser
In case the first two steps have not taken effect, we would have to reinstall the browser . Of course, before reinstalling it, make sure that we have completely uninstalled it and that we have deleted all the files.
Uninstall programs that may cause problems
Have we recently installed any programs? Maybe they are causing problems. Perhaps the fact of having installed some type of software could have been the cause that we have adware on the computer. Therefore, we should uninstall that program.