What Is Spyware And What Does It Do
Even though Internet is among the greatest inventions that one can think of, it has brought plenty of evils with it, one of which is the threat to one’s privacy and personal details. Hackers and computer-savvy people who love to challenge their capabilities look for loop-holes in computer and Internet security and then exploit it to ensnare unsuspecting and innocent Internet users in their trap. One of the many ways by which they make people their victims is spyware, a software that has been making the online experience unsafe and frustrating for Internet and computer users since years now.
Instructions
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Spyware is a type of software that installs on the computer without the knowledge or informed consent of the user with the intention of passing the user’s personal information and record of his activities to another user. The user is kept completely in the dark about the invasion of his privacy and therefore continues to use the computer and Internet as he routinely does, entering his passwords, credit card information and other personal details without the knowledge that these details are being recorded and sent to a third party.
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Spyware can end up making its way on your computer while you are downloading some software or programme from the Internet. In most cases, it is attached to free software, i.e. freeware, so that more users are tempted into downloading it and therefore become its victim.
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Basic spywares collect the user’s information and passes it to the website of the company whose software you downloaded. The information passed on to the website may later be used for advertising purposes, or to be sold to other companies. It is important to keep in mind that the information gathered may also include the user’s IM (instant messaging) conversations, e-mails and cookies.
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Adware is a type of spyware that covertly installs hidden advertising software on the user’s computer. The software acts by generating on-screen advertisements, typically pop-ups, which are not only annoying, but slow down the Internet speed and computer. Some adware acts by hijacking the links in your web browser, redirecting you from the website that you intend to visit to the website that the adware maker wants to end up at.
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Malware, short for malicious software, is another type of spyware. It harms the computer in pretty much the same way as a virus does. The worst forms of malware act by stealing your password, credit card information and any other personal details that you type and sending them to the hackers.
