A Common Computer Question Answered - What Is Spyware?

Almost everyone that has a computer that is connected to the internet has heard the term “spyware” before. However not everyone knows what it means and it is a fairly broad term that can get confusing at times. With that in mind, we are going to cover what exactly spyware is.

Spyware refers to computer software that gets installed on your computer and goes on to cause malicious acts without your having a clue about what’s going on. Spyware can initiate the following malicious activity:

1) Steal your personal data or personal information. Certain spyware programs will “spy” on what you are typing and all the information you have stored on your system.

2) Install various programs to your computer without your authorization. These programs have no use to you but usually will let someone else monitor what you are doing online. This is one of the biggest reasons computers start to “slow down”.

3) Automatically make your web browser take you to websites that have other harmful files such as viruses or other forms of spyware.

4) Sneak in and change your computer’s settings so that your computer is vulnerable to other attacks or infections.

In short, Spyware is nothing but ‘nuisanceware’!

Apart from the activity above, Spyware also slows down your Internet connection and make life miserable when you are surfing the Internet - many of those annoying pop-ups appearing out of nowhere are the result of spyware making its way on your system.

Wondering how spyware makes it way onto your computer?

Spyware is always introduced into a computer through deceptive means, and the user will have no clue when this infiltration happens. Here are some instances of how Spyware can enter your system:

1) Download programs that offer movie or music downloads. These are often offer for free and will automatically install spyware on your system.

2) Many programs that you download will come with spyware when you install them. These are usually “utility” type programs that offer some type of benefit - some examples are “toolbars” or foreign exchange rate calculators.

3) One of the trickiest ways that spyware will make its way on your computer is by immitating your operating system’s regular messages.

If you are using MS windows, you might get a popup with a message that looks like it’s from your operating system, however when you click on it you end up installing some form of spyware.

It’s obviously important that you find out if there is spyware on your computer, but how can you find out?

One of the first warning signs is that your computer starts to run a lot slower than before and appears a little sluggish. Spyware will slow down your browsing speed and your overall computer’s performance.

Unfortunately, many people end up blaming their computer’s hardware if their system is running slower than usual. More often than not it is nothing hardware related - it is the fact that spyware has made its way onto their computer.

It’s important that you protect your computer and make sure you destroy any spyware on your system starting today!

Computer experts estimate that 9 out of every 10 computers have some form of spyware installed on them. It’s crucial that you protect your system and personal information by using a top-ranked anti-spyware program.

Look for a spyware remover that has received positive reviews and that can remove any spyware that is already on your system (along with protecting against new infections). You want a program that scans your computer for any current spyware, kills off anything it finds and then provides protection against future spyware.

Written by Jack Mason on October 27th, 2008 with no comments.
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