Spyware, as the name suggests, allows those unwanted guests to view all of your computer activity. Worms, viruses, and trojans also belong to the same group, which is known as Malware. Spyware varies from some fairly harmless things through to some very worrying little programs. Things as simple as cookies or the lists of recently accessed files are similar to spyware - they are a way to keep a track of your likes and dislikes. There are many advantages to using cookies - for a start they often save you having to go through the same questions every time you go to a website. They make possible a personalized web browsing experience. Most people appreciate cookies and they're right not worry too much about them. Most people's definition of spyware begins with the programs that send information about your activities online or on your personal computer without you even knowing about it. This could be information on what web sites you visit and could have some commercial value. It's pretty interesting information for advertisers, for example. Many of us find this an invasion of privacy, even if it has no more serious side-effects. Often however it does have a side-effect - these programs can cause your PC to run slowly or even crash without explanation. In fact surprise crashes are one sign that you may have spyware on your computer. If you surf the Internet, download programs, or even install programs from disc or CD, it's safe to assume you have some spyware - most computers are infected, especially if the user isn't on their guard for it. What's more, a lot of spyware isn't intercepted by standard antivirus programs. There also exists a particularly worrying form of spyware, known as the 'key-logger'. This is a program that is able to record every keystroke that you make on your computer and then send it back to whoever originated the spyware. Potentially this allows them to uncover your passwords and your bank details - the frightening consequences are easy to imagine! This most evil kind of spyware is quite rare, but together with the privacy invasion and PC slowing caused by less threatening forms, it makes up a good reason to take steps to eliminate spyware. There are several good selections of anti-spyware available on the market. Some are free to the end-user. And others come with a subscription, which means an annual fee. You should continually run your spyware scan option to check the current state of your PC. Don't be surprised if you find spyware. Anti-spyware programs will scan your hard drive and files. After the scan process has been completed, the anti-spyware program will supply you with a list of spyware threats. The program can only scan for viruses and spyware its been made aware of, so it is important to download updates on a regular basis. Updates are provided daily and weekly - isn't that scary - to those who have a subscription. Whatever option you decide upon, the sooner you take action to protect yourself against spyware the better. Penny D'Argesse is the owner and operator of the website, Y http://www.yspyware.com, a valuable online resource dealing with the issue of spyware To access more articles on this topic visit Penny's article archive at http://www.yspyware.com/articlespyware/ |