Spyware Tips - Dealing with spyware

Use a Firewall
While most spyware and adware software comes bundled with other programs, usually free software, or originate from unscrupulous Web sites, a small amount of spyware can actually be placed on your computer remotely by hackers. Installing a firewall provides a helpful defense against these hackers.
Download and Install Anti-Spyware/Adware Software
Downloading and installing anti-spyware and adware software will help in your defence of this menace. The anti-spyware software can even work in the background making sure these files do not download onto your computer without your knowledge.
Spyware Tips
Internet Explorer is by far the most popular browser used, and thus is the one that is most widely exploited for browser hijacks, spyware and adware attacks to install spyware and adware without users knowing. If you are worried, or even fed up with spyware and adware attacks it may be an idea to change your "Browser" to something other than IE. Try one of the three below.
Opera
Mozilla
Firefox

Microsoft
If you use Outlook, or Outlook Express, one of the things you can do is change the email program for something like "Thunderbird" from Mozilla. It may take a little time to get used to but it is really good, with some powerful features. Thunderbird protects you from increasingly common email scams—also known as "phishing" - which try to fool you into handing over your passwords and other personal information, it also has junk email filters and much more.

If you are using Microsoft's Operating Systems like Windows Me, XP, 2000 and Vista another way to help protect yourself is to make sure you have the latest updates and patches installed. Some of these updates are classed as "Critical" meaning they are needed on your system to protect it from vulnerabilities and from someone executing programs through your system. These updates also including Microsoft's other software like Office. Microsoft has many pages on it's site covering updates for Windows and is worth taking a look at here. You can also get to the Windows Update page from your Desktop Start Menu. If you can't download and install the downloads automatically through Windows Update try looking for the latest updates here.

Anti-Spyware Scanner Update
One of the most important things to do is make sure that you update your anti-spyware scanner at least once a week to make sure it is protecting you to it's full advantage. Remember that like viruses, new spyware and adware is popping up all the time.

Be Vigilante.
Anti-Spyware scanners on their own will not protect you. You will have to be vigilant and check before downloading and installing software, especially from P2P (Peer-to-peer) sites like Kazaa, these sites not only have bundled adware but you could also download viruses, worms and trojans masquerading as files.