Home
Network-Level Spyware
What is Spyware?
Spyware is computer software that collects personal information about a user of a computer without their informed consent. Spyware utilizes a range of techniques in order to record personal information, including logging keystrokes, recording Internet web browsing history, and scanning documents on the computer's hard disk. Spyware can collect many different types of information about a user. Some variants attempt to track what types of websites a user visits and then send this information to an advertising agency. More malicious variants attempt to intercept passwords or credit card numbers as a user enters them into a web form or other application.
How can spyware affect me?
Spyware can negatively impact you in many different ways. Spyware can compromise your privacy because your personal information may be gathered and distributed to others. You may become a victim of identity theft or fraud. Outsiders may start using your credit cards and accessing your banking information. People may know your passwords and start accessing your personal email or documents. Spyware can install programs you did not download, change your browser home page, reset your bookmarks, and change your wallpaper. This then affects your control over your personal computer because these programs may be not listed in the add/remove program and consequently, some of these programs are difficult to uninstall. Furthermore, spyware can affect the available resources and proper functioning of computers by making them slower and/or causing system crashes.
How does spyware get on my computer?
Different types of spyware get into your computer in different ways. These ways include,
- Hackers placing spyware on your computer;
- Drive-by downloads whereby you simply visit a website and spyware is downloaded without your consent and knowledge. The spyware is written into the site's code and thus, exploits known security holes.
- Installing freeware/shareware, such as screen savers or games, that bundles spyware applications during installation of the main program.
- Emails where there is an attachment to an email message, a hyperlink in an email message, or in the email communication itself if it is in HTML format; and
- Clicking on a popup ad.
How do I know if I have spyware and how do I remove it?
WebBand suggests that you download and install a program called Spybot . This program will check your computer for spyware on a regular basis and clean it when it finds it. Once you have your computer clean, our security product will keep it clean.
For more information on Spyware, visit www.spywareguide.com (it is a bit geeky, just warning you!)
Other Security Features
Share on Facebook | Become a WebBand Facebook Fan
