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Thoughts like, "I should've backed up last night" or "I don't have time for this crap right now" run rampant. Well, you're in the thick of it and there's no turning back. You need to deal with this situation now, before other bad things happen.
OK, we'll get right to the possible solutions first and then we'll discuss how to prevent this from happening in the future. This message can usually mean one of three things. It's a trap to get you to click on it (which will infect you with spyware), you have some legit spyware software protection software installed and it's warning you, it's a less than intelligent advertiser trying to scare you into buying there product (which also may be a trap).
Spyware is a catch all term that can mean anything from an advertiser spying on your activities for research, to malicious software wanting to steal information and corrupt your system. The bad news is that many of the spyware authors are very smart people. They constantly look for weaknesses to pursue, better ways to trick you, and new ways to make money at your expense.
Many of the older versions would erase files, corrupt data, and generally tried to kill any system it invaded. Then they figured out that you could make money if you collect information, or you could take over the computer to send Spam (which also would make money by selling the service or even selling the product that was being spammed). Operating under a cloak of secrecy by using other computers is a great way to protect themselves from any consequences for their criminal activity.
Many people believe they are protected by their anti-virus software. And some of these programs do include limited protection against spyware. But most can't protect you against the serious threats, ones that are the most damaging and becoming more and more common. It's a tough business, protecting against programs designed to trick the user, using the latest technology and system weaknesses. Due to the ongoing battle between the spyware guys and the spyware protection guys, it's a constant battle.
Plus, the spyware business is very lucrative which makes it worth the time and effort to create some very impressive software. These boys work 24/7 in trying to figure out ways to get at the users system, data, and personal information. City, state, and federal laws can't stop a guy in Estonia or prevent any illegal activity from outside the United States.
OK, we know how and why, now we need to get rid of the problem. One good step that's both free and easy is to install Microsoft's Windows Defender. It's not going to be the perfect solution but it is better than many. This may do the trick, but if not, you may need to install additional software or even address removing the software manually yourself.
The first thing you should do is update whatever spyware protection software you may use. It may include the solution. As soon as a new variant is discovered, most spyware protection companies add the new solution to their updates. There are also many websites that publish a manual solution. If the spyware is identifiable by name or impact you can do a search in Google to see if there are solutions available by software or manual removal methods.
Unfortunately, some of the manual methods can get very technical and may be beyond most normal users ability. So the best choice would be to find a software solutions if at all possible. Awareness is your first line of defense. The next is a good spyware protection software that is kept up to date.
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