ADDRESSING SYSTEM DEGRADATION BY APPLICATION DISABLING

In some embodiments, a routine is executed that identifies one or more applications that consume resources of the computer without a benefit that justifies such consumption, with the routine comprising evaluating at least some data from a source external to the computer, and an ability of the one or more identified applications to start on the computer absent user input requesting or authorizing use of such an application is disabled. In some embodiments, the external source of data may, for example, comprise a remote database identifying potentially undesirable applications and/or a remote software reputation service. In some embodiments, a routine is executed that identifies one or more applications that consume resources of the computer without a benefit that justifies such consumption and that also identifies one or more resources or utilities that utilize the one or more applications. An ability of the one or more identified applications to start on the computer absent user input requesting or authorizing use of such an application is disabled, and an ability of the one or more resources or utilities to attempt to utilize the one or more applications absent user input requesting or authorizing such an attempt is also disabled.