If you use the internet, There is over 90% chance your computer is infected with spyware -                                                                                    Source CNN

Nowadays, we all get to hear the word spyware more often than what would make us feel comfortable. But what exactly is Spyware and why do we have to avoid it?

Spyware can be defined as any technology that aids a group in collecting information about a person or organization from their computers without their knowledge. It is a computer software that is installed on a personal computer (PC) to intercept or take partial control over the user's activity/interaction with the computer, again, without proper authority. It has been created to track and report what you do on the computer. While the term spyware suggests software that secretly monitors the user's behavior, the functions of spyware extend well beyond simple monitoring.

Some of the "worst" spyware will actually search your hard drive for personal information, such as credit card numbers, bank accounts, passwords, and other confidential information. Spyware programs can collect various types of personal information, such as Internet surfing habit, sites that have visited, but can also interfere with user control of the computer in other ways, such as installing additional software, redirecting Web browser activity, accessing websites blindly that will cause more harmful viruses, or diverting advertising revenue to a third party.

Not only that,  Spyware can even change computer settings, resulting in slow connection speeds, different home pages, and loss of Internet or other programs. In an attempt to increase the understanding of spyware, a more formal classification of its included software types is captured under the term privacy-invasive software.

Why Do you Need to Remove Spyware? Spyware has become the number one threat to all internet users world wide. It is possible that 9 out of every 10 computers are infected. Spyware will destroy your PC and your internet experience and can also result in identity theft. It has been specifically designed to be difficult to remove. Once you have spyware on your computer, many virus removal programs and few firewalls will not be able to "touch" or "remove" it.

In response to the emergence of spyware, a small industry has sprung up dealing in anti-spyware software. Running anti-spyware software has become a widely recognized element of computer security best practices for Microsoft Windows desktop computers A number of jurisdictions have passed anti-spyware laws, which usually target any software that is installed to control a user's computer without the user's informed consent.

Like most anti-virus software, many anti-spyware/adware tools require a frequently-updated database of threats. As new spyware programs are released, anti-spyware developers discover and evaluate them, making "signatures" or "definitions" which allow the software to detect and remove the spyware. As a result, anti-spyware software is of limited usefulness without a regular source of updates. Some vendors provide a subscription-based update service, while others provide updates free. Updates may be installed automatically on a schedule or before doing a scan, or may be done manually.

However, some "rogue" anti-spyware programs/spyware remover masquerade as security software, while being spyware themselves. Malicious programmers have released a large number of fake anti-spyware programs, and widely distributed Web banner ads now spuriously warn users that their computers have been infected with spyware, directing them to purchase programs which do not actually remove spyware—or worse, may add more spyware of their own. Since there are numerous Spyware Removers available online, some claiming to be the best among the rest, it is necessary to choose a spyware remover that suits best to your needs.