They spy with their malicious eye
Spyware are programs that monitor user activity and subsequently transmit user information to remote servers. Adware operates similarly but shows targeted advertisements on the desktop.
Such software is the bane of computer users as it executes continuously in stealth mode, eating up valuable processing cycles, disrupting work and thought processes by displaying random advertisements and infringing the privacy of users.
In a 2003 study, the National Cyber Security Alliance — whose members include RSA Security and Symantec — found that spyware infects nine out of 10 computers.
In March, anti-spyware manufacturer Earthlink & Webroot Software reported that over 29 million instances of spyware were detected from more than a million PCs that were scanned.
Companies that derive "benefits" from such software include Gator (recently renamed Claria), WhenU and 180Solutions. Spyware programs include keystroke recorders, screen capture programs and other network monitoring software.
Spyware is generally installed via drive-by downloading and bundling with third-party applications.
