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Spyware is illegal software installed without a user's consent to monitor or control their computer activity, often leading to performance degradation and privacy breaches. Protection against spyware includes using antivirus tools with spyware scanning features, enabling pop-up blockers and being cautious about allowing software installations from the internet. Legal frameworks like the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and various state laws combat spyware, but enforcement can be challenging due to the difficulty in tracing spyware back to its originators. Has your computer ever become so slow that you can fix yourself a snack in the time it takes your word processor to open? Perhaps spyware is to blame. Spyware is a category of computer programs that attach themselves to your operating system in nefarious ways. They can suck the life out of your computer's processing power. They're designed to track your Internet habits, nag you with unwanted sales offers or generate traffic for their host Web site.
But before you chuck your computer out the window and move to a desert island, you might want to read on. In this article we'll explain how spyware gets installed on your computer, what it does there and how you can get rid of it. A computer virus is a piece of code designed to replicate itself as many times as possible, spreading from one host computer to any other computers connected to it. It usually has a payload that may damage your personal files or even your operating system. Spyware, on the other hand, generally isn't designed to damage your computer. Spyware is defined broadly as any program that gets into your computer without your permission and hides in the background while it makes unwanted changes to your user experience. The damage it does is more a by-product of its main mission, which is to serve you targeted advertisements or make your browser display certain sites or search results.
At present, most spyware targets only the Windows operating system. Drive-by download - This is when a Web site or pop-up window automatically tries to download and install spyware on your machine. The only warning you might get would be your browser's standard message telling you the name of the software and asking if it's okay to install it. If your security settings are set low enough, you won't even get the warning. Piggybacked software installation - Some applications -- particularly peer-to-peer file-sharing clients -- will install spyware as a part of their standard installation procedure. If you don't read the installation list closely, you might not notice that you're getting more than the file-sharing application you want. This is especially true of the "free" versions that are advertised as alternatives to software you have to buy. As the old saying goes, there's no such thing as a free lunch.
Browser add-ons - These are pieces of software that add enhancements to your Web browser, like a toolbar, animated pal or additional search box. Sometimes, these really do what they say they'll do but also include elements of spyware as part of the deal. Or sometimes they are nothing more than thinly veiled spyware themselves. Particularly nasty add-ons are considered browser hijackers -- these embed themselves deeply in your machine and take quite a bit of work to get rid of. Masquerading as anti-spyware -- This is one of the cruelest tricks in the book. This type of software convinces you that it's a tool to detect and remove spyware. When you run the tool, it tells you your computer is clean while it installs additional spyware of its own. There are applications designed to sit silently on your desktop and intercept personal information like usernames and passwords. These programs include Bugdrop, Back Orifice and VX2.
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