Regardless of how many spyware removal programs computer users install, they may not be totally protected from internet threats, as some websites may be recording and sharing browsing data with other websites.

Reuters reported the results of a recent Stanford University that found that 61 percent of the 185 websites it surveyed claimed to have shared user information with other websites. Much of that information is then used by internet advertising companies, who are able to craft targeted ads based on the unique browsing information they receive.

Spending on this practice – known as "behavioral advertising" – is expected to reach $2.6 billion by 2014, research firm eMarketer told Public Opinion Online. Web browsing information is valuable because advertisers know that consumers are more likely to respond to targeted pitches that reflect their interests than to general ads.

Within the last year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has called for the creation of a "do not track" list, which would allow internet users to choose whether they wanted their internet browsing habits to be monitored by third parties.

"A host of invisible cyberazzi, cookies and other data catchers follow us as we browse, reporting our every stop and action to marketing companies that in turn collect an astonishingly complete profile of our online behavior," FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz said at a privacy forum at the National Press Club this week.

The newest versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox each provide users with the option to block websites from mining browsing information. Experts expect other web browsers, such as Google Chrome, to implement similar tools, but an industry-wide consensus has yet to be reached.

If users are concerned their browsing information is being compromised, a Virginia spyware removal expert may be able to offer suggestions as to how users can protect themselves.