We are constantly bombarded with advertisements everywhere we go. Billboards, magazine ads, cereal boxes, and television commercials are just a few of those sources. With the Internet age came a new way for companies to advertise. Not only is online advertising easy for companies to create, it is also dirt-cheap compared to many other forms or marketing.

Adware downloads have established themselves as one of the most prevalent types of advertising on the Internet. In its purest form, an adware download is advertising-supported software that automatically downloads advertisements to your computer.

Adware is what allows many online downloads to be offered for free. If the creator of the download wants to make it free to the public, but obtain some compensation, they attach adware from the companies who piggyback their advertisements onto that download.

When an Adware Download Becomes a Problem

Adware downloads can prove to be minor annoyances in certain cases. It can mean that you have to make a couple extra clicks to reject the ads that pop up when you put in new software. In more severe cases, however, it can make your computer almost unusable and make your personal information available to hackers.

In many cases, an adware download becomes spyware. When it tracks and gathers information through Internet usage without consent, it is considered spyware. This type of adware download can make your personal information public without your knowledge. As this information is collected, it can be sent to companies that then turn around and customize advertisements which are sent right back to you. If you’ve ever found yourself surfing for a specific product online and then getting a pop-up ad for that particular product, you may have spyware on your computer.

Adware downloads can also create so many pop-up advertisements that you feel like you’re spending more time closing unwanted advertisements than anything else. It can make a computer virtually unusable. This is not only frustrating, it is an invasion of privacy.

Taking Steps to Eliminate Adware Downloads

There are several ways in which you can protect your computer from adware downloads. First and foremost, avoid downloading adware through other downloads. Always read the fine print and know what you are putting on your computer. If you are meticulous about what you download, you will be far less likely to end up with an adware download on your computer.

You should also use an Internet browser, such as Firefox, that stops advertisements on its own. It will alert you in a non-intrusive manner every time it blocks an adware download. Web browsers like this also warn you when you may be at a site that contains unsecured and potentially harmful materials that could hurt your computer.

Being mindful of security updates to specific computer programs can also help you cut down on the possibility of ending up with an adware download. Many programs update their security features depending on the different types of viruses that have been developed. To fight against those new types of adware downloads, always keep your computer up to date.

Last but not least, it is smart to install antispyware software to your computer. This keeps the adware downloads to a minimum by alerting you of their presence and protecting your computer. This is perhaps the most effective way in which you can ensure the safety of your computer from adware downloads.