What is spyware?
Spyware is software that collects personal information from you without first letting you know what it’s doing and without letting you decide whether this is OK or not. The information spyware collects can range from all the Web sites you visit to more sensitive information like usernames and passwords. You might be the target of spyware if you download music from file-sharing programs, free games from sites you don’t trust, or other software programs from an unknown source. Spyware is often associated with software that displays advertisements, called adware. Some advertisers may covertly install adware on your system and generate a stream of unsolicited advertisements that can clutter your desktop and affect your productivity. The advertisements may also contain pornographic or other material that you might find inappropriate. The extra processing required to track you or to display advertisements can tax your computer and hurt your system performance. This is not to say that all sof
When you install certain “free” software from the Internet, you may be unwittingly installing software on your computer that monitors and reports your surfing habits. This type of software is often referred to as “spyware”, because it spies on your activities without your knowledge. Spyware companies would argue that it was with your consent, because you clicked the Agree button when you installed the software. Some spyware may periodically open popup windows on your computer to advertiser sites that pay the spyware company. Other spyware may make use of your computer to store files and distribute them to others, all without your knowledge. Turning off or uninstalling the original software often leaves the spyware fully functional on your computer. Anti-virus software will generally not detect spyware. Consult your anti-virus software documentation for its capabilities. Free and commercial software is available that will specifically scan for and remove spyware. One free program is Ad-
Spyware specifically denotes a program which surreptitiously collects and reports a user’s activity to a third party. More generally, spyware denotes any software installed on a user’s computer which interacts with servers on the Internet in a manner unbeknownst to the user or without their consent. Spyware is most often used for commercial-related purposes, such as delivering pop-up ads. Besides being invasive of a person’s privacy, spyware programs, like computer viruses, are often a nuisance and can impair the operation of the computer.
Spyware is the common term for a wide variety of non-viral programs that are typically installed onto a users PC without their knowledge. Spyware can steal your personal information, switch your home page, re-direct your web searches, display annoying ads, slow your PC to a crawl, or even control it remotely. Spyware comes in many shapes and sizes; some are simply an annoyance, while others threaten security and privacy.
