Spyware represents a significant threat to Internet users, introducing malicious code that is capable of tracking their online activities and stealing their personal information. As a result of this threat, various products have been introduced to remove spyware from PCs and many users consequently rely upon these to be a sufficient against the problem. Following an assessment of related prior work, this research examines the effectiveness of present day anti-malware products in removing spyware from a test computer. The results suggest the removal capabilities of the products are unsatisfactory, with spyware components, active processes, and Registry keys still remaining after three rounds of antivirus scanning. These findings indicate compelling reasons for more thorough detection and removal of spyware from home computers.

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