Spyware

So you don’t know what a Spyware is?

Simply put, a Spyware is a software that installs on your computer via the Internet, without your knowledge or consent. What is worse, is that this software will often record your activity on the Internet, record your personal information, take over some or a lot of your bandwidth on the Internet making your Internet connection slow, direct you automatically towards websites where you might find yourself downloading even more viruses and spywares and also divert advertising related revenues to another third person. Your personal details like your bank account and credit card details (especially if you are a user of e-banking facilities) can become extremely vulnerable. Your personal details can be used for identity theft purposes as well. In short, a spyware is bad news for your computer and your Internet surfing experience.

Spywares began to show up on the Internet round about 1995, when the term was used to talk about hardware used for spying on other computers. Today, spywares have penetrated many of the computers on the Internet. A recent survey of several users of the Internet has shown that more than 60 per cent of Internet users have spyware on their computers and over 95 per cent of these users don’t even know of the spyware’s presence, nor have they consented to the installation of that spyware on their computer.

So how is a Spyware different from a Virus?

Viruses can replicate themselves on an ‘infected’ computer. Spywares cannot do this. This is the major difference between a spyware and a virus.

How does a Spyware get into my computer?

There are many means for a spyware to get into your computer. Sometimes these spywares are part of some softwares which are available for download on the Internet. This is called ‘piggybacking’. The spyware comes bundled up with the software, and when you install the software, the spyware installs itself on the computer. Usually, spywares are part of shareware programs that are available on the Internet.

Sometimes, spywares come into your computer via different websites. When you visit the website which contains the spyware, the page attacks your browser and forces the download and installation of the software. This is known as ‘drive-by download’ of the spyware. These spywares are designed specifically to target some security loopholes in browsers such as Internet Explorer. Sometimes, a virus may have the process of installing a spyware as part of its functionality. Therefore, if your computer has been infected by that virus, then it is likely that the spyware software has downloaded onto your computer.

So what can I do to improve my computer security and protect myself from Spywares?

As the old saying goes: ‘where there is a disease, there is also a cure’. The cure for spywares are Spyware detector softwares which will aid you in spyware removal. Your computer is your own and any software should not be downloaded onto it without your knowledge and especially without your consent. Most spyware detector softwares will work while you are online and detect spywares as they are beginning to download on your computer. The software, depending upon its features, may either kill that download, or inform you of the download and ask for your consent to continue with the download. Many such spyware detector softwares are also available on the Internet in free to download, free to use and even paid versions.

Nowadays, several anti-virus softwares are also doubling up as spyware detectors. This additional functionality gives the user of the computer double protection from both viruses and spywares. Thus, although the threat of spywares looms over every single user of the Internet, there is a way to ensure that a spyware does not become a part of your Internet surfing experience.