FAQ

Some of us may be unfamiliar with the many tech terms that spruce up every so often. Firewall can also be a term that not many are familiar with. 

According to a study by National Cyber Security Alliance, only 4 percent of Americans say they understand firewalls “completely”, while more than 44 percent don’t understand firewalls at all - or know if they have one enabled on their PC. So for those who feel unsure, keep reading to find out why a firewall is a necessary part of your online defense.

If your PC is connected to the Internet, you are a potential target to an array of cyber threats, such as hackers, keyloggers, and Trojans that attack through unpatched security holes. This means that, as you shop and bank online, you are vulnerable to identity theft and other malicious attacks.

What is a firewall?

A firewall is a software program or piece of hardware that helps screen out hackers, viruses, worms etc and works as a barrier, or a shield, between your PC and cyber space. Your computer is more susceptible to being attacked when you are accesing your internet via your PC, you can restrict outside access to your computer and the information on it with a firewall.

What are the types of firewalls out there?

Firewalls can be either hardware or software but the ideal firewall configuration will consist of both. In addition to limiting access to your computer and network, a firewall is also useful for allowing remote access to a private network through secure authentication certificates and logins.

Hardware firewalls can be purchased as a stand-alone product but are also typically found in broadband routers, and should be considered an important part of your system and network set-up. Most hardware firewalls will have a minimum of four network ports to connect other computers, but for larger networks, business networking firewall solutions are available.

Software firewalls are installed on your computer (like any software) and you can customize it; allowing you some control over its function and protection features. A software firewall will protect your computer from outside attempts to control or gain access your computer.

How does a firewall work and protect my computer?

When you are connected to the Internet, you are constantly sending and receiving information in small units called packets. A firewall filters these packets to see if they meet certain criteria set by a series of rules, and thereafter blocks or allows the data. This way, hackers cannot get inside and steal information such as bank account numbers and passwords from you.

Basic firewalls such as the one included in your Windows, only monitor incoming traffic by default. This may give you a false sense of security. Keep in mind, outgoing traffic, with your credit card information, bank accounts, and social security number is not protected. A good firewall will monitor traffic in both directions. That is, both your incoming data and your outgoing data, keeping your private information safe. In addition to preventing unauthorized access to your PC, it also makes your computer invisible when you’re online, helping to prevent attempted intrusions in the first place.

Most sophisticated firewalls also include a feature that continuously updates the list of known good and known malicious applications. This way, the amount of questions relating to Internet access is minimized and your computer protection is always up-to-date.

Also important to keep in mind: although a firewall provides critical protection to keep your PC safe from unauthorized access, it cannot remove malware from a system that has already been infected. Due to that, a firewall should be used in combination with other proactive measures, like anti-malware software, to strengthen your resistance to attacks.

Today's threats are varied, sophisticated, and continue to adapt in order to get past your defenses. And that means that going online without essential protection in place on your computer is no longer an option.

The best ways to stay secure online are to prepare your PC with the right tools, and to use caution and common sense whenever you use the Internet. Updated spyware and virus protection with real-time monitoring are important tools in keeping spyware and malware from infecting your computer. An up-to-date firewall is another security must-have. These three elements provide fundamental security to your PC, and are essential to protect your information and your privacy.

What exactly are these tools and why are they necessary?

Anti-spyware software. Spyware attaches itself to individual computers to perform functions like monitoring Internet navigation and stealing information. Spyware can track your personal data and then send it to cyber criminals. Anti-spyware software can protect your computer by providing real-time protection against malware, spyware, and adware installations, as well as by detecting and removing such programs that are already installed on your computer.

Anti-virus software. A virus is code that recursively replicates a possibly evolved copy of itself. Viruses use computers to spread from one to another. They often perform a function that can erase files and processes from your computer. Anti-virus software can protect your computer from a range of cyber threats like viruses, worms, rootkits, and phishing attacks. The software keeps you protected by scanning files to look for known viruses, and by using what is known as heuristics to identify suspicious behavior which may indicate a threat.

Firewall. A firewall works as a barrier between your PC and cyber space. When you are connected to the Internet, you are constantly sending and receiving information in small units called packets. The firewall filters these packets to see if they meet certain criteria set by a series of rules, and thereafter blocks or allows the data. A firewall provides critical protection to keep your PC safe from unauthorized access, yet it cannot remove malware from a system that has already been infected; therefore it should be used in conjunction with anti-spyware and anti-virus software.

At adaware, it is our mission to provide the solutions needed to protect against today's varied threat landscape. To help you fight the malware battle, the adaware product lineup includes the following stand-alone and combined tools:

adaware antivirus free
Combining our legendary anti-spyware with a powerful antivirus, adaware antivirus free enhances them with real-time protection, download protection and continuously updated filters against malicious URLs, providing top-of-the-line anti-malware protection for the casual computer user.

adaware antivirus personal
adaware antivirus personal provides a complete set of anti-phishing features and real-time web-filtering technology that safeguards your PC against phishing attacks and online scams, giving you the confidence you need to shop and bank online.

adaware antivirus pro
Complete line-of-defense against the most extreme forms of malware and cyber threats, adaware antivirus pro provides the most advanced anti-spyware and antivirus detection and threat blocking algorithms, complemented with a powerful two-way firewall, web filters against phishing attacks and real-time email protection.

adaware antivirus total
Our most comprehensive line of defense, adaware antivirus total provides multiple layers of protection for complete PC security, including antivirus and anti-spyware, firewall, anti-phishing, email protection, parental control and more, as well as a complete set of data security features like file encryption and digital shredder.

For more information on additional tools to maintain your PC's health and security, see our articles: Tuning Up Your Computer and Keep Your Information Under Your Control.

The system registry is a database of essential file references to applications and utilities. Its structure is hierarchical. The registry is structured with nodes of information that contain keys and sub-keys.

To access the System Registry is quite easy.

Do not make any changes until you have done a backup of the Registry. If any incorrect change, you may not boot your OS.

To start working with the system registry, proceed through the following steps:

Click Start --> Run --> Type regedit --> click OK

The Registry Editor window displays.

Sometimes, to clean your infected computer and eliminate the consequences of the infection, it is necessary to make changes in the Windows system registry. When editing the system registry, it is recommended to strictly follow the adaware Expert’s guidelines.

Temporary Internet Files is a folder on Microsoft Windows which contains Web page content that is stored on your hard disk. Internet Explorer and other web browsers uses this directory to cache pages and other multimedia content, such as video and audio files, from websites you visit. This feature improves network performance allowing such websites to load more quickly the next time you visit them.

To clean the Temporary Internet Files folder, proceed through the steps listed below:

1- Open either Internet Explorer (8.0) or the Control Panel.

2- With Internet Explorer, click the Tools menu and then click Internet Options...

With Control Panel, double-click Internet Options.

In either case, the Internet Properties window appears.

3- On the General tab, click Delete under Browsing History.

4- With the Delete Browsing History dialog box, select the Temporary Internet Files check box, and then click Delete.

5- Click OK.

Virtually everyone with a computer has now heard of spyware, but where and when did it rear its ugly head for the first time? Here is a little history...

The word 'spyware' was used for the first time publicly in October 1995. It popped up on Usenet (a distributed Internet discussion system in which users post e-mail like messages) in an article aimed at Microsoft's business model. In the years that followed though, spyware often referred to 'snoop equipment' such as tiny, hidden cameras. It re-appeared in a news release for a personal firewall product in early 2000, marking the beginning of the modern usage of the word.

In 1999, Steve Gibson of Gibson Research detected advertising software on his computer and suspected it was actually stealing his confidential information. The so-called adware had been covertly installed and was difficult to remove, so he decided to counter-attack and develop the first ever anti-spyware program, OptOut.

That's where Lavasoft (now adaware) picked up and Gibson left off. He went on to other projects and Lavasoft became a pioneer in the anti-spyware industry with its signature free, downloadable product Ad-Aware (now adaware antivirus). Lavasoft's paid products soon followed and it is now the anti-spyware provider for 300 million computer users worldwide today.

Let's be honest, no one wants to own a computer that is infected with malicious programs. Therefore, it is imperative to practice safe computing habits. You can avoid most malware just by staying away from a few common traps. 

Cybercriminals are constantly trying to find holes or vulnerabilities to exploit, and new threats are emerging every day on the web. To stay protected, it is important to have the latest version of the software you are using. 

Unfortunately, every so often malware get beyond our defenses even though we are careful. Maybe our anti-virus software is out of date or has been compromised by a particularly clever bit of code. Perhaps we clicked on a link by accident and activated a virus. Or someone else used our computer and downloaded some malware by mistake.

5 symptoms that your computer is infected with malware:

1. Your computer is running extremely slow.

This might be a symptom of an infection by a malware. If your computer has been infected by a virus, worm or Trojan, they could be running tasks that take up a lot of resources making your computer system run more slowly than usual. If you are not running a resource-heavy application but your computer is very slow, you might have a computer virus.

2. Beware of pop-ups!

If you encounter alarming pop-up messages while surfing the internet, claiming a virus has been detected on your computer and that you should download software to get rid of it. Watch out! These forms of communications are often scams to trick you into downloading software that can jeopardize the safety of your computer. If these messages did not come from your own anti-virus or anti-spyware applications, don't trust it! There is either spyware on the computer or it has been infected by a bogus antivirus (also called as a “rogue”).

3. Your computer has gone unstable.

That is another sign that something is wrong with your computer. Most malware messes around with important files that halt your computer running properly. That could cause your computer to crash. If your computer crashes when you try to run a specific application or open a particular file that tells you that something has corrupted the data. It could be malware.

4. Your Antivirus and firewall protection is unexpectedly disabled.

This is yet another common characteristic that your computer may be infected. If all of your security components such as your antivirus and firewall have automatically been disabled without your consent, it is most likely a malware has deactivated your antivirus protection. For that reason, you should continuously check that your antivirus is working and running at full protection.

5. Unfamiliar and peculiar error messages.

If you are continuously getting error messages indicating that your programs won't run or your files won't open, it might be another sign of infection.

Other possible indicators that suggest something is wrong with your computer include:

• Strange messages indicating that you can't access certain drives on your computer.
• Hardware such as USB keys and printers are not responding to commands.
• File sizes are fluctuating even if you aren't accessing those files.

According to a study by NCSA Cyber Security, only 4% of Americans say they understand firewalls "completely", while more than 44% don't understand firewalls at all - or know if they have one enabled on their PC. So for those of you who feel a little unsure - below is a brief overview of why you might need a firewall.

If your PC is connected to the Internet, you are a potential target to an array of cyber threats, such as hackers, keyloggers, and Trojans that attack through unpatched security holes. This means that if you, like most people shop and bank online, are vulnerable to identity theft and other malicious attacks.

A firewall works as a barrier, or a shield, between your PC and cyber space. When you are connected to the Internet, you are constantly sending and receiving information in small units called packets. The firewall filters these packets to see if they meet certain criteria set by a series of rules, and thereafter blocks or allows the data. This way, hackers cannot get inside and steal information such as bank account numbers and passwords from you.

Basic firewalls such as the one included in Windows XP, only monitor incoming traffic by default. This may give you a false sense of security. Keep in mind, outgoing traffic, with your credit card information, bank accounts, and social security number is not protected. A good firewall will monitor traffic in both directions. That is, both your incoming data and your outgoing data, keeping your private information safe. In addition to preventing unauthorized access to your PC, it also makes your PC invisible when you're online, helping prevent attempted intrusions in the first place.

Most sophisticated firewalls also include a feature that continuously updates the list of known good and known malicious applications. This way, the amount of questions relating to Internet access is minimized and your computer protection is always up-to-date.

Although a firewall provides critical protection to keep your PC safe from unauthorized access, it cannot remove malware from a system that has already been infected. Therefore, a firewall should be used in conjunction with other proactive measures, such as anti-malware software, to strengthen your resistance to attacks.

Some of us may be unfamiliar with the many tech terms that spruce up every so often. Firewall can also be a term that not many are familiar with. 

According to a study by National Cyber Security Alliance, only 4 percent of Americans say they understand firewalls “completely”, while more than 44 percent don’t understand firewalls at all - or know if they have one enabled on their PC. So for those who feel unsure, keep reading to find out why a firewall is a necessary part of your online defense.

If your PC is connected to the Internet, you are a potential target to an array of cyber threats, such as hackers, keyloggers, and Trojans that attack through unpatched security holes. This means that, as you shop and bank online, you are vulnerable to identity theft and other malicious attacks.

What is a firewall?

A firewall is a software program or piece of hardware that helps screen out hackers, viruses, worms etc and works as a barrier, or a shield, between your PC and cyber space. Your computer is more susceptible to being attacked when you are accesing your internet via your PC, you can restrict outside access to your computer and the information on it with a firewall.

What are the types of firewalls out there?

Firewalls can be either hardware or software but the ideal firewall configuration will consist of both. In addition to limiting access to your computer and network, a firewall is also useful for allowing remote access to a private network through secure authentication certificates and logins.

Hardware firewalls can be purchased as a stand-alone product but are also typically found in broadband routers, and should be considered an important part of your system and network set-up. Most hardware firewalls will have a minimum of four network ports to connect other computers, but for larger networks, business networking firewall solutions are available.

Software firewalls are installed on your computer (like any software) and you can customize it; allowing you some control over its function and protection features. A software firewall will protect your computer from outside attempts to control or gain access your computer.

How does a firewall work and protect my computer?

When you are connected to the Internet, you are constantly sending and receiving information in small units called packets. A firewall filters these packets to see if they meet certain criteria set by a series of rules, and thereafter blocks or allows the data. This way, hackers cannot get inside and steal information such as bank account numbers and passwords from you.

Basic firewalls such as the one included in your Windows, only monitor incoming traffic by default. This may give you a false sense of security. Keep in mind, outgoing traffic, with your credit card information, bank accounts, and social security number is not protected. A good firewall will monitor traffic in both directions. That is, both your incoming data and your outgoing data, keeping your private information safe. In addition to preventing unauthorized access to your PC, it also makes your computer invisible when you’re online, helping to prevent attempted intrusions in the first place.

Most sophisticated firewalls also include a feature that continuously updates the list of known good and known malicious applications. This way, the amount of questions relating to Internet access is minimized and your computer protection is always up-to-date.

Also important to keep in mind: although a firewall provides critical protection to keep your PC safe from unauthorized access, it cannot remove malware from a system that has already been infected. Due to that, a firewall should be used in combination with other proactive measures, like anti-malware software, to strengthen your resistance to attacks.

Don't have a firewall installed on your PC?

Look no further, adaware pro security is our complete line-of-defense against the most extreme forms of malware and cyber threats, packed with valuable features that includes a powerful two-way firewall.

Our two-way firewall complements and enhances the protection offered by your typical router and provides more robust security than the built-in Microsoft Windows Firewall (they only check for incoming data) by monitoring which applications are attempting to send data out (outgoing traffic). In simpler terms, what it does is block hackers from getting into your system to steal important information.

Download adaware antivirus pro here.

Today's threats are varied, sophisticated, and continue to adapt in order to get past your defenses. And that means that going online without essential protection in place on your computer is no longer an option.

The best ways to stay secure online are to prepare your PC with the right tools, and to use caution and common sense whenever you use the Internet. Updated spyware and virus protection with real-time monitoring are important tools in keeping spyware and malware from infecting your computer. An up-to-date firewall is another security must-have. These three elements provide fundamental security to your PC, and are essential to protect your information and your privacy.

What exactly are these tools and why are they necessary?

Anti-spyware software. Spyware attaches itself to individual computers to perform functions like monitoring Internet navigation and stealing information. Spyware can track your personal data and then send it to cyber criminals. Anti-spyware software can protect your computer by providing real-time protection against malware, spyware, and adware installations, as well as by detecting and removing such programs that are already installed on your computer.

Anti-virus software. A virus is code that recursively replicates a possibly evolved copy of itself. Viruses use computers to spread from one to another. They often perform a function that can erase files and processes from your computer. Anti-virus software can protect your computer from a range of cyber threats like viruses, worms, rootkits, and phishing attacks. The software keeps you protected by scanning files to look for known viruses, and by using what is known as heuristics to identify suspicious behavior which may indicate a threat.

Firewall. A firewall works as a barrier between your PC and cyber space. When you are connected to the Internet, you are constantly sending and receiving information in small units called packets. The firewall filters these packets to see if they meet certain criteria set by a series of rules, and thereafter blocks or allows the data. A firewall provides critical protection to keep your PC safe from unauthorized access, yet it cannot remove malware from a system that has already been infected; therefore it should be used in conjunction with anti-spyware and anti-virus software.

At adaware, it is our mission to provide the solutions needed to protect against today's varied threat landscape. To help you fight the malware battle, the adaware product lineup includes the following stand-alone and combined tools:

adaware antivirus free

Combining our legendary anti-spyware with a powerful antivirus, adaware antivirus free enhances them with real-time protection, download protection and continuously updated filters against malicious URLs, providing top-of-the-line anti-malware protection for the casual computer user.

adaware antivirus pro

Complete line-of-defense against the most extreme forms of malware and cyber threats, adaware antivirus pro provides the most advanced anti-spyware and antivirus detection and threat blocking algorithms, complemented with a powerful two-way firewall, web filters against phishing attacks and real-time email protection.

adaware antivirus total

Our most comprehensive line of defense, adaware antivirus total provides multiple layers of protection for complete PC security, including antivirus and anti-spyware, firewall, anti-phishing, email protection, parental control and more, as well as a complete set of data security features like file encryption and digital shredder.

The system registry is a database of essential file references to applications and utilities. Its structure is hierarchical. The registry is structured with nodes of information that contain keys and sub-keys.

To access the System Registry is quite easy.

 Do not make any changes until you have done a backup of the Registry. If any incorrect change, you may not boot your OS.

To start working with the system registry, proceed through the following steps:

Click Start --> Run --> Type regedit --> click OK

The Registry Editor window displays.

 Sometimes, to clean your infected computer and eliminate the consequences of the infection, it is necessary to make changes in the Windows system registry. When editing the system registry, it is recommended to strictly follow the adaware Expert’s guidelines.

Temporary Internet Files is a folder on Microsoft Windows which contains Web page content that is stored on your hard disk. Internet Explorer and other web browsers uses this directory to cache pages and other multimedia content, such as video and audio files, from websites you visit. This feature improves network performance allowing such websites to load more quickly the next time you visit them.

To clean the Temporary Internet Files folder, proceed through the steps listed below:

With Control Panel, double-click Internet Options.

In either case, the Internet Properties window appears.

1. Open either Internet Explorer (8.0) or the Control Panel.
2. With Internet Explorer, click the Tools menu and then click Internet Options...
3. On the General tab, click Delete under Browsing History.
4. With the Delete Browsing History dialog box, select the Temporary Internet Files check box, and then click Delete.
5. Click OK.

Let's be honest, no one wants to own a computer that is infected with malicious programs. Therefore, it is imperative to practice safe computing habits. You can avoid most malware just by staying away from a few common traps. 

Cybercriminals are constantly trying to find holes or vulnerabilities to exploit, and new threats are emerging every day on the web. To stay protected, it is important to have the latest version of the software you are using. 

Unfortunately, every so often malware get beyond our defenses even though we are careful. Maybe our anti-virus software is out of date or has been compromised by a particularly clever bit of code. Perhaps we clicked on a link by accident and activated a virus. Or someone else used our computer and downloaded some malware by mistake.

5 symptoms that your computer is infected with malware:

1. Your computer is running extremely slow.

This might be a symptom of an infection by a malware. If your computer has been infected by a virus, worm or Trojan, they could be running tasks that take up a lot of resources making your computer system run more slowly than usual. If you are not running a resource-heavy application but your computer is very slow, you might have a computer virus.

2. Beware of pop-ups!

If you encounter alarming pop-up messages while surfing the internet, claiming a virus has been detected on your computer and that you should download software to get rid of it. Watch out! These forms of communications are often scams to trick you into downloading software that can jeopardize the safety of your computer. If these messages did not come from your own anti-virus or anti-spyware applications, don't trust it! There is either spyware on the computer or it has been infected by a bogus antivirus (also called as a “rogue”).

3. Your computer has gone unstable.

That is another sign that something is wrong with your computer. Most malware messes around with important files that halt your computer running properly. That could cause your computer to crash. If your computer crashes when you try to run a specific application or open a particular file that tells you that something has corrupted the data. It could be malware.

4. Your Antivirus and firewall protection is unexpectedly disabled.

This is yet another common characteristic that your computer may be infected. If all of your security components such as your antivirus and firewall have automatically been disabled without your consent, it is most likely a malware has deactivated your antivirus protection. For that reason, you should continuously check that your antivirus is working and running at full protection.

5. Unfamiliar and peculiar error messages.

If you are continuously getting error messages indicating that your programs won't run or your files won't open, it might be another sign of infection.

Other possible indicators that suggest something is wrong with your computer include:

• Strange messages indicating that you can't access certain drives on your computer.
• Hardware such as USB keys and printers are not responding to commands.
• File sizes are fluctuating even if you aren't accessing those files.

According to a study by NCSA Cyber Security, only 4% of Americans say they understand firewalls "completely", while more than 44% don't understand firewalls at all - or know if they have one enabled on their PC. So for those of you who feel a little unsure - below is a brief overview of why you might need a firewall.

If your PC is connected to the Internet, you are a potential target to an array of cyber threats, such as hackers, keyloggers, and Trojans that attack through unpatched security holes. This means that if you, like most people shop and bank online, are vulnerable to identity theft and other malicious attacks.

A firewall works as a barrier, or a shield, between your PC and cyber space. When you are connected to the Internet, you are constantly sending and receiving information in small units called packets. The firewall filters these packets to see if they meet certain criteria set by a series of rules, and thereafter blocks or allows the data. This way, hackers cannot get inside and steal information such as bank account numbers and passwords from you.

Basic firewalls such as the one included in Windows XP, only monitor incoming traffic by default. This may give you a false sense of security. Keep in mind, outgoing traffic, with your credit card information, bank accounts, and social security number is not protected. A good firewall will monitor traffic in both directions. That is, both your incoming data and your outgoing data, keeping your private information safe. In addition to preventing unauthorized access to your PC, it also makes your PC invisible when you're online, helping prevent attempted intrusions in the first place.

Most sophisticated firewalls also include a feature that continuously updates the list of known good and known malicious applications. This way, the amount of questions relating to Internet access is minimized and your computer protection is always up-to-date.

Although a firewall provides critical protection to keep your PC safe from unauthorized access, it cannot remove malware from a system that has already been infected. Therefore, a firewall should be used in conjunction with other proactive measures, such as anti-malware software, to strengthen your resistance to attacks.

The Task Manager provides detailed information about computer performance and running applications, processes and CPU usage, commit charge and memory information, network activity and statistics, logged-in users, and system services.

You can use the Task Manager to end a process.

To open the Task Manager, do one of the following:

• right-click the taskbar and then click Task Manager

– or –

• on the keyboard, press CTRL+ALT+DEL or CTRL+SHIFT+ESC

The Task Manager opens with the Processes tab. 

With the window displayed, select a process you want to end and click the End Process button.

Note: Be careful when ending a process. If you close a program, you lose unsaved data. If you end a system service, some part of the system might not function properly.

If you want to end a process and all processes which are created by it, on the Processes tab, right-click the process you want to end, and then click End Process Tree.

If you have any questions about an adaware product or experiencing some problems while using them, there are several online resources that can help you find prompt and effective answers. Here are your options:

Support for all users

The Support section of adaware.com has extensive information to help you install, use or repair our products. In this section, you will have the following ressources:

Fix my PC:  If you’re struggling with an unresponsive computer or suspect you have a virus, the tools found in Fix my PC are designed to help you.

FAQ: We’ve compiled a list of answers to the most frequently asked questions about our products' features or how to use them, as well as other valuable information about the company and cybersecurity.

Support for adaware antivirus: All the information you need to get adaware antivirus working for you. Some topics covered here are how to install & activate the software, how to repair or uninstall, or submitting a tech support ticket.

Support for adaware ad block: Your ressource to get the best out of adaware ad block. Some of the topics covered in this section are about maximizing your usage of the product with guides on how to install, use and uninstall the software.

Forum: Your space for engaging the adaware community for product-related questions and best practices.

Product Manuals: Our user guides can help you get started and get the most out of our software.

Support for paid users

If you are a paid user, you have access to one-on-one technical support by phone. At the time of purchase, you should have received the necessary contact information in a confirmation email. If you've misplaced that information, login to your My adaware account.