Spyware
Spyware is any program that covertly gathers user information from your computer without your knowledge, and sends that information through the user’s Internet connection back to its author who will either use it themselves or sell the information to another party. Spyware is like a Trojan horse that users unwittingly install when they install what they think is desirable software.
Spyware applications are typically included as part of freeware or shareware programs that are downloaded from the Internet. Once installed, the spyware monitors your activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else. Spyware can also capture any information stored on your hard drive, including credit card numbers, passwords, private financial information, in fact, every piece of information on your PC.
Aside from the questions of ethics and privacy, spyware steals from the user by using the computer’s memory resources and bandwidth as it sends its stolen information back to it’s home base via the user’s Internet connection. Poorly written spyware can crash your system, creating mysterious and hard to solve system problems. Sometimes the crashes aren’t accidental, but intended (see malware).
Spyware can attach to your machine without your doing anything but visiting a website. You don’t have to sign up for anything, give your email address or even click on an ad.
The licensing agreements that accompany spyware installations will sometimes warn the user that a spyware program will be installed along with the desired software, but the notice is often hidden in obtuse, hard-to-read legalese.
Norton anti virus and Windows are both installed on my computer. Which is better to keep, Windows malware protection or Norton? Also because the 2 systems are not compatable my phishing keeps turning off. Help please.
Thank you
I have lost my data from my hardisk.