Title: Protecting business computers from adware

Adware or advertising-supported software is defined as a software package that automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertising material to a computer after the software is installed on it or while the application is being used. Typically adware is seen as advertising banners that can be seen either as a pop-up or a banner ad.

Like spyware, adware has been criticized for tracking a user's personal information. The problem many companies have with adware tracking information is that it is passed on to third parties without their knowledge or permission.
Noted privacy software expert Steve Gibson of Gibson Research explains: "Spyware is any software (that) employs a user's Internet connection in the background (the so-called 'backchannel') without their knowledge or explicit permission. Silent background use of an Internet 'backchannel' connection must be preceded by a complete and truthful disclosure of proposed backchannel usage, followed by the receipt of explicit, informed consent for such use. Any software communicating across the Internet absent of these elements is guilty of information theft and is properly and rightfully termed: Spyware."
How do I protect my business computers from adware?
Steve Gibson's corporation has created a OptOut a program to help protect your computers from adware and spyware.

Another popular program, Ad Adware, cleans your computer system and maintains a higher degree of privacy. Ad Adware is used by numerous businesses to scan RAM, Registry, hard drives, and external storage devices.
There are numerous adware programs that you can download for free. Many of them are a 14 day or one month trial period.
If you are not taking precautions to protect your company's computers, you are at risk for several serious attacks. A few years ago there was a breach at TJMaxx Corporation in which close to $47 million dollars were stolen from the credit cards of their customers. The corporation had a insurance plan, but was still liable to fix the problem. Had the company protected their company computers with the proper measures of virus, adware and spyware protection, it may have been able to be prevented.
Some steps you can take to protect your computer are as follows:
1. Only install reputable software form reputable vendors.
2. Keep your antivirus software up-to-date and ensure that spyware and adware applications have been added to virus list.
3. Check your network sniffer regularly for any strange traffic occurrences and check this traffic for conspicuous traffic that streams form a machine without user activity.(A good time to investigate this will be at a time when your users are not using the network.
4. Install good intrusion detection systems these systems counter Trojans and other foul play that may be taking place and market leaders are starting to include adware and spyware activity as part of their pattern file interception mechanism.Spyware servers often attempt to contact the slave machine to instruct commands.
5. Disable cookies, Cookies are contentious and full of user info that takes up storage on company's machine and serve 3rd party organizations more benefit than they serve the user.
Many companies have disabled their internet browsing to limited sites. This has proven to be an effective security measure for many companies. Not only do they know their employees are not misusing company computers for personal use, but they have a security feeling that adware, spyware and viruses will not penetrate their system. Keeping up to date with the most recent programs will help to keep your organization protected from new adware that is being created. Having your IT department monitor employee's event logs are also helpful to preventing unwanted sites from leaving adware on your company's computer.