Basic Information You Need To Know About Spyware

Spyware is frequently mentioned whenever your computer is hacked or says it has a virus.  The term spyware has become synonymous of virus, trojans, adwares and other malware but actually they are different in some aspects.

Here are some of the questions and answers that you need to know about spywares and how it differs from other malwares.


Question :  What is spyware?

According to wikipedia:

"Spyware is a type of malware that can be installed on computers, and which collects small pieces of information about users without their knowledge. The presence of spyware is typically hidden from the user, and can be difficult to detect. Typically, spyware is secretly installed on the user's personal computer. Sometimes, however, spywares such as keyloggers are installed by the owner of a shared, corporate, or public computer on purpose in order to secretly monitor other users."

Question:  How can my computer or laptop be infected by a spyware?

There are so many ways that your computer can be infected by spyware however the most prominent ones are downloading malicious files from untrusted sources like p2p downloads (torrents), email attachments, infected USB media and downloading from an infected website.

Question: How can I detect if my system is infected with a spyware?

Your computer might run slower than normal usage, continuos pop-ups or advertisement when you open the browser, when a software is telling you that you need to purchase a software becaue your computer is infected and your browser is more often directing you from malicious sites.

Question: What's the difference between Adware and Spyware?

Wikipedia defines an adware as an advertising-supported software, is any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertisements to a computer.

These advertisements can be in the form of a pop-up. The object of the Adware is to generate revenue for its author. Adware, by itself, is harmless; however, some adware may come with integrated spyware such as keyloggers and other privacy-invasive software.

Now you have a basic overview on what is a spyware and the diffence with spyware.  Be sure to have a anti spyware software in your system to protect your computer from installing malicious programs.  Get a Free Anti Spyware Download here.