McAfee, Inc launches Stop Spyware initiative

McAfee, Inc (NYSE: MFE), a provider of intrusion prevention and risk management solutions, announced the beginning of McAfee Stop Spyware Week, an initiative that is designed to raise awareness of the threats posed by spyware and other potentially unwanted programs (PUPs).

In a study conducted by the National Cyber Security Alliance, 53% of respondents said they had spyware on their computers, but when checked, 80% of computers were infected with spyware. Separate research by the Ponemon Institute showed that 42% of computer users infected with spyware had no idea how it landed on their computer.

In addition to increasing awareness of spyware and PUPs, the aim of the initiative is to educate people about the threats of PUPs and provide tips for avoiding potential infections. Computer users can visit http://www.mcafee.com/stopspyware to download a free trial to one of McAfee's anti-spyware software programs, the company claims.