Just a few added recommendations to help protect your computer.
In addition to Spybot, AdAware is MalwareBytes-
www.malwarebytes.orgYes it is good to use 2 different software packages to check your machine for malware and spyware. I use both Spybot and Malwarebytes, one can find something that the other doesn't. Make sure to update them often.
There are free anti-virus packages to use with free virus definition updates, scheduler, Etc.
Avast (what I currently use)-
www.avast.com/en-us/indexAVG-
www.avg.com/us-en/homepageI also use Firefox that comes with numerous addons/Extensions-
www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/newThree recommended addons are Adblock Plus, Noscript
and WOT (Web of Trust). These addons will work for both Firefox and Chrome.
Within each link to these addons are descript
ions of what each addon does when installed and used.
AdBlock Plus-
/addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/adblock-plusNoscript
-
/addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/noscriptWOT-
/addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/wot-safe-browsing-toolWhen installing software such as the anti-virus packages, I recommend to do custom installs so that you may uncheck any bundled software such as some type of toolbar that the software will offer to install.
With the addons, it will take some time to get used to them and how web sites will appear to you. Adblock Plus does what it's name implies, blocks ads. Noscript
will not allow any code to run on your machine, especially malicious javascript
that may be embedded into the website. In the bottom corner you can click on a Noscript
icon (an S) and temporary allow a website to display or add a website to Noscript
s whitelist via options.
WOT displays which websites are safe for web browsing. An example would be performing a Google search and the results displayed will have WOT next to each website.
All of them add layers of web surfing protection and I have not had a virus or trojan installed onto one of my machines in years due to being proactive and using these addons. It's well worth it and hope this helps.