Spyware and Adware are mainly still targeted at Windows based users due to that being the lion's share of the market and because of the many known security holes in Microsoft based operating systems. But reports suggest that more and more Spyware and Adware programs are targeting Macintosh based computers. Unfortunately, there still aren't a lot of fixes for Mac users.

What's so bad about Spyware? Spyware programs maliciously infiltrate your computer and often sneak in buried in attachments or downloaded files. These executable files run in the background to capture information about you, send annoying advertisements to you or to report your every keystroke to an outside party. This is a growing problem and more and more people complaining of slow system performance and annoying pop-ups are realizing that their computer isn't simply outdated, it's quite simply infected by malicious software.

Combating this problem can be a daunting task and can't effectively be done without a Spyware program. Not many Spyware programs exist to help the Mac user remove spyware and help fight future attacks but more new software packages to treat this problem are being written every day. And, as new threats increase for the Mac user everyday, users need to be more cautious about what they download and how to watch for Spyware symptoms such as poor performance, hijacked homepages and any usual pop-up windows or error messages.

Anti-spyware software that eliminates threats and also looks for new problems before it attacks the user's personal computer is preferred over freeware that you download for one temporary fix. Keeping your privacy is critical considering the amount of personal information that's contained on your hard drive. If you don't save information such as this, you are still subjected to risks. Protecting yourself ensures that you're able to safely do online shopping, online banking and even having a personal conversation via e-mail or instant messaging software. Spies look for and through your personal information, steal your identity and slow down your system. Installing anti-spyware software is as important as shielding your ATM pin number to protect your bank account or locking your car to prevent it from being stolen from a dark alley.