dangers of spyware

What is Spyware? Spyware is any software that: 1. installed on your computer without your knowledge or consent; 2. tries to make it difficult (or impossible) for you to remove it; 3. sends information about you, your computer, your files or your Internet use to someone without your knowledge or consent; 4. sends information about you and discloses this to you in an obfuscated way. What is Adware? Adware is very similar to spyware (for example, it will often embed itself deep within your computer and make it almost impossible for you to remove it). Its main difference is that Adware pops up ads on your desktop constantly -- it makes its money from ads, not necessarily from selling information about you. where does Spyware / Adware come from, and how do your computer get it? The answer to this question is probably as large as spyware / adware programs are numerous. Spyware / Adware often comes packaged with other software, File-sharing and music-sharing programs (often called "P2P") are the most serious offenders. or Some spyware / adware you may download willingly, not knowing that it does more than originally meets the eye. there are other methods as well. Some spyware is downloaded by your web browser pseudo-automatically. If you visit certain websites, those sites will try to send spyware / adware as a plug-in for your browser. Your browser will ask you if you want to install the plug-in; if you say yes, your computer is open to whatever that site wants to install. And even worse than that, some spyware / adware acts like a virus to force its way onto your computer. This type of spyware / adware is often used by hackers and can cause all manner of problems on your computer. And some spyware / adware is commercially sold. It is used by employers to spy on employees, family members to spy on each other; anyone who has access to your computer can install this spyware / adware software and can then watch everything you type or everything you look at on your screen What is the dangers of Spyware / Adware ? The dangers of spyware / adware is obvious: companies are building databases about the sites you visit and the things you search for, people can watch everything you do on your computer, advertisers can shove pop-ups in your face even when you're not surfing, and hackers can even wreck your computer.

Spyware / Adware software is often poorly written. If your computer runs more and more slowly as it gets older, and you haven't made any changes to it to make it run more slowly, there's a good chance that it's getting clogged up with spyware / adware. Since spyware / adware watches everything you surf, or everything you type, and since there are many types of spyware / adware that can all be installed on your computer at once, spyware / adware can really kill your computer's performance.

With these concerns and many others too numerous to list here, spyware / adware is considered by many to be on par with viruses in terms of the power to harm your computer. And on top of that, spyware / adware jeopardizes your privacy, something viruses don't do. For all these reasons, the danger of spyware / adware is great.