At the risk of sounding stupid.. what exactly is spyware?

Answer 1

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.

Spyware is often associated with software that displays advertisements (called adware) or software that tracks personal or sensitive information.

That does not mean all software that provides ads or tracks your online activities is bad. For example, you might sign up for a free music service, but you "pay" for the service by agreeing to receive targeted ads. If you understand the terms and agree to them, you may have decided that it is a fair tradeoff. You might also agree to let the company track your online activities to determine which ads to show you.

Other kinds of spyware make changes to your computer that can be annoying and can cause your computer slow down or crash.

These programs can change your Web browser's home page or search page, or add additional components to your browser you don't need or want. These programs also make it very difficult for you to change your settings back to the way you originally had them.

The key in all cases is whether or not you (or someone who uses your computer) understand what the software will do and have agreed to install the software on your computer.

There are a number of ways spyware or other unwanted software can get on your computer. A common trick is to covertly install the software during the installation of other software you want such as a music or video file sharing program.

Whenever you install something on your computer, make sure you carefully read all disclosures, including the license agreement and privacy statement. Sometimes the inclusion of unwanted software in a given software installation is documented, but it might appear at the end of a license agreement or privacy statement.

Answer 2

Spyware is any software that covertly gathers user information through the user's Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes. Spyware applications are typically bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs that can be downloaded from the Internet. Once installed, the spyware monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else. Spyware can also gather information about e-mail addresses and even passwords and credit card numbers.

Answer 3

Spyware is software that collects information without your consent. There are two different types of spyware. Adware- companys use this to track the websites and interests of people for advertising purposes. The other is malware. Malware is used to get personal information such as bank or credit card information or to infect your computer. The debate is that all spyware is malicious, but that is for another discussion. Spyware can be gotten from any software that you download onto your computer, especially software downloaded directly from the Internet.

Answer 4

Spyware is software that is installed on your computer without your knowledge or permission that places a delicious little "cookie" into your operating system that tells people what places (websites) you like to visit and what area of the country and/or city you live in. This helps them (these spies) market certain products based on the demographic results of the information gained by their spyware on your computer. It is no big deal but can result in a loss of performance speed in your computer, which is reason enough to consider it a violation of your personal property. The irony is that the anti-spyware you install makes your computer run even slower.

Answer 5

Spyware is computer software that collects personal information about users without their permission and without users knowledge. The term, coined in 1995 but not widely used for another five years, is often used interchangeably with adware and malware (software designed to infiltrate and damage a computer respectively).
Personal information is secretly recorded with a variety of techniques, including logging keystrokes, recording Internet web browsing history, and scanning documents on the computer's hard disk. Purposes range from overtly criminal (theft of passwords and financial details) to the merely annoying (recording Internet search history for targeted advertising, while consuming computer resources). Spyware may collect different types of information. Some variants attempt to track the websites a user visits and then send this information to an advertising agency. More malicious variants attempt to intercept passwords or credit card numbers as a user enters them into a web form or other applications.

The spread of spyware has led to the development of an entire anti-spyware industry. Its products remove or disable existing spyware on the computers they are installed on and prevent its installation. However, a number of companies have incorporated forms of spyware into their products. These programs are not considered malware, but are still spyware as they watch and observe for advertising purposes. It is debatable whether such 'legitimate' uses of adware/spyware are malware since the user often has no knowledge of these 'legitimate' programs being installed on his/her computer and is generally unaware that these programs are infringing on his/her privacy. In any case, these programs still use the resources of the host computer without permission.

Answer 6

Spyware is computer software that collects personal information about users without their informed consent. The term, coined in 1995 but not widely used for another five years, is often used interchangeably with adware and malware (software designed to infiltrate and damage a computer respectively).

Personal information is secretly recorded with a variety of techniques, including logging keystrokes, recording Internet web browsing history, and scanning documents on the computer's hard disk. Purposes range from overtly criminal (theft of passwords and financial details) to the merely annoying (recording Internet search history for targeted advertising, while consuming computer resources). Spyware may collect different types of information. Some variants attempt to track the websites a user visits and then send this information to an advertising agency. More malicious variants attempt to intercept passwords or credit card numbers as a user enters them into a web form or other applications.

The spread of spyware has led to the development of an entire anti-spyware industry. Its products remove or disable existing spyware on the computers they are installed on and prevent its installation. However, a number of companies have incorporated forms of spyware into their products. These programs are not considered malware, but are still spyware as they watch and observe for advertising purposes. It is debatable whether such 'legitimate' uses of adware/spyware are malware since the user often has no knowledge of these 'legitimate' programs being installed on his/her computer and is generally unaware that these programs are infringing on his/her privacy. In any case, these programs still use the resources of the host computer without permission.

Answer 7

Spyware Spyware is any software package that tracks and sends personally identifiable information or confidential information to third parties. Personally identifiable information is information that can be traced to a specific person such as a full name. Confidential information includes data that most people would not be willing to share with someone and includes bank details, credit card numbers, and passwords. Third parties may be remote systems or parties with local access.

Answer 8

Spyware is software that'll download into your PC without your knowledge and keep running in the background. As the name suggests, it may spy on your browsing activities and gather information about you.

Most common sign you'll find when spyware's on your PC is when you get redirected automatically to unknown sites instead of the usual site you were looking for.

Answer 9

No questions are ignorant...there are purely stupid solutions (as you may evidently examine from a number of those above me...and that i'm specific some will call my answer stupid to boot...ah, so be it!). the story of Adam and Eve and dinosaurs. some will say there is no longer something yet evolution, others say purely creation. I say why no longer a mix of the two? God replace into, is and could be all issues to all of us for all time. God created all the existence and set it on its path. Dinosaurs more desirable and then died out. Adam and Eve (like the dinosaurs earlier them) have been created via God...yet they have been blessed (or cursed, counting on your attitude) with loose will. Adam and Eve, as you comprehend, made the incorrect decision via ingesting the fruit, yet that's yet another tale. besides the undeniable fact that, the story of Adam and Eve, the e book of Genesis and for that count, the finished e book of Torah are a God-inspired history of early people and the solid, undesirable and unsightly issues people did and God's intervention (alongside with Noah and the flood, or Moses and the exodus from Egypt). each and every now and then, God intervenes. yet for the main section, God permit's us make the ideas. for sure, our long history in the worldwide shows that folk proceed to make a similar errors to boot as making solid selections. So now its your turn, to go with whom to have faith. confirm to open your eyes to all the probabilities that exist in this worldwide. steer away from those those that are fanatical of their ideals. And be kind to those much less fortunate than you.

Answer 10

Isn't that when companies can track what you're doing on the internet & know what vendor sites you are visiting?