How dangerous is Spyware on the internet ?

Answer 1

Read this and you can decide.

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. However, it should be noted that the majority of shareware and freeware applications do not come with spyware. 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.

Spyware is similar to a Trojan horse in that users can unwittingly install the product when they install something else. A common way to become a victim of spyware is to download certain peer-to-peer file swapping products that are readily available on the internet. But more and more, users can be infected with spyware simply by surfing the internet. Many times spyware objects are invisibly and unethically embedded into web pages by the webmaster. And by simply visiting one of these websites, the user is unsuspectingly infected.

Aside from the questions of ethics and privacy, spyware steals from the user by using the computer’s memory resources and also by eating bandwidth as it sends information back to the Spyware’s home base via the user’s Internet connection. Because spyware is using memory and system resources, the applications running in the background can lead to system crashes or general system instability.

Because spyware exists as independent executable programs, they have the ability to monitor keystrokes, scan files on the hard drive, snoop other applications, such as chat programs or word processors, install other spyware programs, read cookies, change the default home page on the Web browser, consistently relaying this information back to the spyware author who will either use it for advertising, and/or marketing purposes, or sell the information to another party.

Licensing agreements that accompany software downloads sometimes warn the user that a spyware program will be installed along with the requested software, but the licensing agreements may not always be read completely because the notice of a spyware installation is often couched in obtuse, hard-to-read legal disclaimers.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Do you want some unkown person following you around and collecting information about what you do through out your day? Well that is what Spy ware does.

It also slows down your system. After so long even with high speed connection it can become extremely.... to the point that many times a person with this problem has to just bite the bullet and reload Windows completely!

Besides I didn't give anyone permission to collect information about what I do on the internet....

Answer 4

Spyware can collect information on your browsing habits and spam you to death lol. Spyware can obtain data on your computer and hijack your browser make their company your homepage. Don't want your family seeing hotbabes.com as the homepage when you click IE. Then as it accumulates it will slow your machine to creepy crawl.

Answer 5

how much do you value your bank account? credit acciount/s?