what is spyware?

Question

just ran norton anit virus and it removed a spyware?/
what is it and what do they do???

Answer 1

Spyware is any software which employs a user's Internet connection in the background without their knowledge or explicit permission.

Any software communicating across the Internet without without user knowledge or consent is guilty of information theft and is properly and rightfully termed: Spyware.

What spyware does?:
- Plagues you with unwanted advertising ("adware"). !!! Not all Adware violates privacy and works without user consent;
- Watches everything you do on-line and send information back to marketing companies ("spyware");
- Adds advertising links to web pages, for which the author does not get paid, and redirect the payments from affiliate-fee schemes to the makers of the software (such software is sometimes called "scumware");
- Sets browser home page and search settings to point to the makers" sites (generally loaded with advertising), and prevent you changing it back ("homepage hijackers");
- Makes your modem (analogue or ISDN) call premium-rate phone numbers ("diallers");
- Leaves security holes allowing the makers of the software - or, in particularly bad cases, anyone at all - to download and run software on your machine ("trojans");
- Degrades system performance and cause errors thanks to being badly written;
- Provides no uninstall feature, and put its code in unexpected and hidden places to make it difficult to remove.

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

Spyware is not always Adware (although certainly some adware can BE spyware)

Spyware can be rather benign, such as cookies and the like that track your purchases or interests and then shows you ads based on that. Or it can be much more serious. Some spyware captures keystrokes (keyloggers) and emails them to third parties. This can compromise credit card numbers, email and other network accounts, social security numbers, and anything else you type. Some types of spyware (called sniffers) filter network traffic looking for the same things.

In general, spyware can be defined as any software that covertly gathers information about a computer user. Most of the time it is for no good purpose.

Do yourself a favor and go find and download the free ad-aware and hi-jack this. They will find alot more than norton does

Answer 4

Spyware is a general term used to describe software that performs certain behaviors such as advertising, collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your computer, generally without appropriately obtaining your consent first. To see a picture how it would look after spyware attack, click on the link below

Answer 5

Spyware is software that resides on your PC that can monitor your Internet surfing habits to display targetted ads and worse, can capture financial info like Credit Cards numbers, etc.

The first thing I would try is Microsoft Windows Defender. This is a free tool from Microsoft and I find it highly effective. You can find it here...

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=435bfce7-da2b-4a6a-afa4-f7f14e605a0d&displaylang=en

If this doesn't do the trick for you, then there are other tools that you will have to pay some small amount for that may work for you. All of these have free trial versions available. So you can download and test before you buy.

Here is a list.

http://watersaffl.noadware.hop.clickbank.net?tid=YAHOOANS
http://watersaffl.xoftspyse.hop.clickbank.net?tid=YAHOOANS
http://watersaffl.adalert.hop.clickbank.net?tid=YAHOOANS
http://watersaffl.xoftspy.hop.clickbank.net?tid=YAHOOANS

Surely something here can help you. Good luck!

Answer 6

spy wares are programs that intrude your PC ans spy your activities and report back. Install an anti spyware and scan the PC. I can give a few links that offer free virus and spyware removers...! Norton, AVG , Avast are free antivirus software. Ad-aware, Ewido are free spyware removers. You can download free softwares at
http://fixit.in/antivirus.html and http://fixit.in/spywareremover.html

Answer 7

Spyware is computer software that collects personal information about a user of a computer without their informed consent. Coined in 1995, but not widely used until after 2000, the term is often used interchangeably with adware and malware. Spyware is itself a form of malware, which is software designed to infiltrate and intentionally or otherwise damage a computer system without the owner's informed consent.

Answer 8

Software that sends information about your Web surfing habits to its Web site. Often quickly installed in your computer in combination with a free download you selected from the Web, spyware transmits information in the background as you move around the Web. Also known as "parasite software," "scumware," "junkware" and "thiefware," spyware is occasionally installed just by visiting a Web site

Answer 9

Spyware is Internet jargon for Advertising Supported software (Adware). It is a way for shareware authors to make money from a product, other than by selling it to the users. There are several large media companies that offer them to place banner ads in their products in exchange for a portion of the revenue from banner sales. This way, you don't have to pay for the software and the developers are still getting paid. If you find the banners annoying, there is usually an option to remove them, by paying the regular licensing fee.

Answer 10

Spyware is a malicious program that records data from your PC (where you've been online, what you've typed - ie. usernames & passwords, etc.) and then sends this back to the the person (may the flies of a thousand camels infest their backsides) who created it in the first place.