'Spyware' is a type of malware that is installed surreptitiously on
personal computers to collect information about users, their computer or
browsing habits without their informed consent.[[http://searchsecurity.tech-
target.com/sDefinition/0,,sid14_gci214518,00.html What is Spyware?]] While the term spyware suggests software that secretly monitors the user's
behavior, the functions of spyware extend well beyond simple monitoring. Spyware
programs can collect various types of personal information, such as Internet
surfing habits and sites that have been visited, but can also interfere with
user control of the computer in other ways, such as installing additional
software and redirecting Web browser activity. Spyware is known to change
computer settings, resulting in slow connection speeds, different home pages,
and/or loss of Internet or functionality of other programs. In an attempt to
increase the understanding of spyware, a more formal classification of its
included software types is captured under the term privacy-invasive software. In response to the emergence of spyware, a small industry has sprung up dealing
in anti-spyware software. Running anti-spyware software has become a widely
recognized element of computer security practices for computers, especially
those running Microsoft Windows. A number of jurisdictions have passed anti-
spyware laws, which usually target any software that is surreptitiously
installed to control a user's computer. The US Federal Trade Commission has
placed on the Internet a page of advice to consumers about how to lower the risk
of spyware infection, including a list of "do's" and
"don'ts."[[http://www.onguardonline.gov/topics/spyware.aspx Spyware:Quick
Facts]]
|