Every day many web surfers go online searching for free anti-spyware to protect their computers from Internet threats. Several years ago there were not many programs that allowed anti-spyware protection for free, at least for personal use. Nowadays it is widely known that freeware often performs better than commercial software. So it is natural to expect to find dozens of free anti-spyware products available for immediate download and install.

However, if we research a bit we'd see that this is not the case. And there are sound reasons why free anti-spyware solutions are very few in number.

Each and every day gazillions of new malware patterns are thrown onto computers connected to the Internet. This means that a good anti-spyware, irrespectively of its cost and manufacturer's name, must be backed up by a security lab where IT experts and analysts examine thousands and thousands of reports to identify both the new and mutated spyware. When examination is complete, the characteristics of the malware are passed onto software programmers who code the definitions and create signatures to reflect the new threats. Then malware signatures are uploaded to company's servers from where desktop anti-spyware applications download updates for their anti-malware databases.

The stuff in security labs work day and night, 24/7. There are always people collecting loads of information and interpreting the reports sent in by anti-spyware users.

Now stop reading and think for a second: is it a hobby? Who on Earth would create free anti-spyware and hire a bunch of hi-class programmers and IT experts only to provide you with an effective anti-spyware tool for you to save a tiny bit of money?

This is one of the main points of concern that you should consider when looking for free anti-spyware. Of course you want the best protection and at no cost, but it is unlikely to ever be created. Someone ought to pay salaries to IT-pros, to cover website maintenance, hosting expenses, and ongoing charges (electricity bills, to name at least).

Free anti-spyware programs certainly do exist. But they’re few in number, and almost always lack the most important component of anti-malware shield usually referred to as real-time protection. Because software manufacturers use the free anti-spyware to market their commercial products, which are bundled with more features. Normally users of free anti-spyware do not get phone and email support – these benefits available for paid customers only.

That's why whenever you come across a free anti-spyware program, find out if it offers real-time protection – most probably it doesn't.

However, there's a much less evident point of concern when we speak about free anti-spyware, and I consider it to be of prime importance for all Internet users.

Free-antispyware may not always be what it claims to be. Very often a product claiming free protection hides in its installation code an army of secret invaders. The 4-letter word is used to fool as many future victims as possible. By installing a fake anti-spyware program, every PC user seriously compromises its identity and privacy. While fake security software pretends to be doing something (showing scan windows, reporting the results of detected and deleted spyware, saving logs, imitating the definition updates, etc), in reality it controls your PC and uses it for illegal purposes like sending out spam or attacking servers of government institutions. Unsuspicious owners of infected computers naively believe in being protected by a nicely looking free anti-spyware, while web criminals use the zombie-PC's for their criminal activities.

There are hundreds of malicious free-antispyware programs promoted by banners and pop-up ads. This number is rapidly growing, and I wouldn't be surprised if any statistical research showed a 99,99% of all free anti-spyware programs being fake and often extremely dangerous.

•        Not all free anti-spyware tools are really free. Some are offered as limited time trial versions which stop updating after a couple of weeks or a month at best. Others are free for scanning only, but do not remove the detected spyware unless purchased.

•        Free anti-spyware programs may have been coded by inexperienced programmers, thus the software malfunctions or is not truly Windows-compatible. Users of such free spyware applications may experience system lagging, freezing, decrease in performance, blue screens of death (BSOD's), unexpected errors. Essentially, the use of freeware anti-spyware is totally at the user's risk.

•        Even removing badly coded anti-spyware may cause headache – either the software is not listed in Control Panel Add & Remove Programs, or the uninstaller doesn't work as expected.

•        Some fake anti-spyware programs masquerade well-known, reputable products, imitating the setup procedure, interface, and even the name.

As a conclusion. There's always certain risk involved when you choose to use a free anti-spyware. Therefore it is recommended to get a research on free anti-spyware programs available to see which software is really free, compatible with your version of Windows, has positive feedback from its users. However, don't b completely weary of all free anti-spyware solutions. In most cases a decent free anti-spyware will be a feature-limited edition of paid software – this is a popular marketing technique used by security vendors. Such editions offer fully functional scanners with removal capability, but other important features – like real-time protection – will not be included in the free ani-spyware.

You may want to check out reviews and feature/performance comparison tables of valid, safe and trustworthy products which are 100% free anti-spyware programs for personal use.

Next: Free Anti Spyware Download