Spyware and Adware Knowledge

What is Spyware? Spyware is a term for software that stealth installs on computer systems without the user's knowledge that allows companies or people to monitor the user's computer or internet activity. This monitoring may include keyboard strokes, website visits, form submissions, email addresses, passwords or even bank account details. Spyware can infect computers systems by:

* Clicking a Pop up window
* Opening a spy carrying email attachment
* Exploiting a security flaw
* Visiting a website which has a drive-by-download. 1 in 62 domains perform drive-by-downloads. Websites that offer pirated software are the worst offenders.
* Downloading a spy hidden in another program. 5% of downloadable programs contain piggybacked spyware. Freeware, peer-to-peer networks, pirated games, crack files, movie and celebrity websites pose the greatest risk.

What is Adware? Adware is a term for software that displays advertisements. It is usually free of charge and earns income for the vendor by displaying advertisements. Adware can monitor the user's internet activity, sending and receiving information with its home server so that targeted advertising can be spawned in the form of pop-up windows and/or toolbar links. Adware can infect computers using the same unethical methods employed by spyware, so adware can also be spyware.
Symptoms

Spyware and adware can sometimes severely degrade computer performance. A slow running computer could be an indication of an infection. Other signs of spyware or adware infections may include:

* excessive pop up ads
* browser homepage changed/hijacked without the user's knowledge, which either cannot be changed or will come back to haunt the user later
* unusual websites in favorites which may reappear after being removed
* a new browser toolbar installed without the user's knowledge, which cannot be removed or may reappear after being removed
* search requests are redirected to a search engine you don't normally use
* the phone bill has unexplained calls to 900 numbers
* anti-spyware or other security programs stop working normally
* fraudulent alert messages about spyware or virus infections
* the modem's send and receive lights blink when the user is not doing anything online
* everything appears normal (can only be detected by anti-spyware).