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| What is Spyware and Adware? SUMMARY: Spyware and Adware defined. What it is and how it can adversely affect your computer.
With all the talk about spyware and adware, you may be wondering exactly what this is?
Spyware refers to software that monitors your Internet or computer access in the background, usually without you knowing that it is working and had ever been installed in the first place. Some spyware may be installed to purely invade your privacy, report your Internet travels to someone else, record passwords and credit card numbers as they are keyed in, or display advertisements geared towards your activities.
Adware, which often is synonymous with spyware, is spyware that monitors your access for the intent of delivering advertisements. Spyware may display pop-up advertisements no matter what software you are using, but most spyware instead hooks into your web browser (mainly Internet Explorer) to deliver advertisements based on where you travel on the Internet.
These and other types of malware (malicious software) can cause all types of problems. Depending on the type of malware installed, you can see and experience:
* Rogue Desktop icons appear, linking to adult or pornography sites
* Stolen identity (identity theft) - keyloggers can steal keyed-in passwords and credit cards information.
* High phone bills due to dialers that can call 1-900#s or other toll numbers from your computer.
* Visual C++ Runtime errors in Internet Explorer, causing it to crash
* Longer than normal computer start-up or shut-down times
* A changed Internet Explorer start or search page.
* Anti-virus software or firewalls stop working.
* Generally sluggish computer operation, and/or constant computer crashes.
* Toolbars and taskbars appear onscreen or in Internet Explorer that you did not wish installed (NOTE that not all toolbars are necessarily spyware - for example, if you install the Google toolbar manually, its privacy policy specifically states what information it can collect).
* Pop-up advertisements appear while you are connected to the Internet, either on your desktop and/or in your web browser.
* A backdoor opened on your system allowing others to control your machine, infect it with viruses, steal and/or delete information, etc. This type of malware is called a Remote Access Trojan (RAT)
* Redirected access to certain websites, such as search engines or shopping sites, to those of the spyware/adware author's choosing, which may be pornographic or adult. This is sometimes due to a Hosts file modification.
* New software installed on your machine without warning.
and more. Not every spyware / adware / malware package does all of the above, and some may perform other actions not listed above.
With all the problems malware can cause, how can you protect yourself?
* Install anti-spyware removal tools.
* Keep your operating system and software up-to-date.
* Read more general information about adware, spyware, and other malware.
* Install anti-virus software. It won't protect against all types of malware, but it is a start.
* Backup your important documents in case you do get infected.
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