What is Spyware?

Spyware has become a huge problem and hassle for many computer users in the past couple years. Spyware is known mainly as software that attaches itself to your computer and monitors your actions and surfing habits computer for the benefit of the spyware’s owner or operator so that it can then monitor the your behavior. In layman’s terms, spyware watches your computer and then sends usage information back to the companies that built the spyware. The up side of spyware in comparison to viruses and worms is that spyware does not self-replicate and so problems do not spread as fast as with viruses.

Spyware does many things such as follow what websites you are visiting then send that information to advertising agencies so they know what kind of pop-ups to send you or in a more vicious manner try to intercept passwords and credit card numbers by watching what you are typing. Luckily, the majority of spyware just launches those annoying pop-ups without doing any real damage other than possibly giving you grey hair from the stress of continually clicking on the little ‘x’s.