Spyware it is a computer spy software, which aims to observe and steal personal information of the user who uses the PC on which the program is installed, retransmitting it to an external source on the internet, without the user's knowledge or consent.
Unlike the "trojan horses", which are developed by hackers in order to "master" the user's operating system, the spyware they only function as an information monitoring tool.
Spyware is typically installed on a company's computers so that employee behavior can be monitored during business hours, functioning as a control and security tool for the content produced and accessed through the company's equipment and, even more importantly, by who.
Another very common activity is the use of spyware by commercial firms in order to discover Internet users' preferences and tastes, with the aim of selling this information to internet advertising companies.
Currently, there are some antispyware software, which recognize the main spywares available on the internet and alert the user if he is being spied on by one of these programs.
See also:
- Scan
- Phishing
