Spyware

What is Spyware? Spyware is computer software that is installed and consequently retrieves information with malicious intent from your computer. It is called Spyware because it will install itself and collects information without your knowledge or consent, installing advertising-related devices that track your Web surfing habits or generate targeted advertising content. Often you have consented to a program being installed without reading the fine print, or you have opened an email without paying attention to who the sender is.

Spyware will track your computer through a variety of tracking techniques: Key logging;
records your keystrokes, invariably leading to theft of personal information, i.e. credit card information, financial information and passwords. Spyware also changes the functioning of your computer, slowing down your computer’s system resources and internet bandwidth. Spyware will also record internet browsing history, tracking the pages you have visited. Spyware will imbed software that scans documents on your computer. In turn the information is reported back to the source using the information as they see fit, sometimes selling your information to people willing to purchase, usually an internet marketing or pornographic company. Also, collecting your email address to send you spam (junk email).

Spyware applications are often bundled without your knowledge from freeware or shareware programs that are downloaded from the internet, so you have to be extremely careful when extracting these programs onto your computer.

Spyware has reached epidemic proportions leading to a revolution of an industry where the choice of programs to use that will eliminate Spyware occurrences becomes difficult to choose from.

Adware

Adware Is much like Spyware and sometimes work hand in hand, where it spies on you with the intent of making pop-ups appear on your screen based on the information you enter when browsing. Forcing you to an advertisers website you did not request, even if you have your pop-blocker enabled, you will still see these critters appear. Adware is still a malicious code that embeds itself into your files.

Spyware is a nuisance to say the least and is a great security threat to your computer, which can often result in data loss, system file changes to the operating system which can disable certain functionality of your computer and generally limit the use of your computer. However, the risks can be managed with a variety of anti-Spyware tools many of which are available for free.

You can find more information to help you understand and rectify Spyware issues. Please visit http://www.spywareonline.info

Author: Dawn Nelson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Filed under: Security

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