general

A Short History of Spyware

Normally, when we discuss history of anything in this world, it at least starts three to four hundred years before our time. This is where the computer world is unique. Most of you who are reading this, when you were younger maybe had only heard of the term computer let alone seen one. Or, perhaps a computer was a very special privilege for the lucky few and the “Internet” was just a figment of someone’s imagination. Therefore anything related to these wonderful machines has a very short legacy. This doesn’t mean they haven’t had a significant impact,and when it comes to spyware, the development has been swift and dangerous. Spyware is computer software which get installed on your computer without your consent or knowledge. Mostly, it is installed from the Internet when you download a free game, software, open an email attachment, etc. The function of spyware is as the the name suggests, to “spy” on you and your computer usage. Spyware operates silently and secretly in the background, collecting your personal information, recording your online habits, and reading your emails. It can communicate this valuable information to others who may use it maliciously. Spyware also uses a lot of resources, slowing down your PC or even damaging it. Read more >>

Do you know the one thing that stopped me going online and catching up with the 21st century? Rumours. Nasty rumours about viruses, worms and so on; but what worried me most were the sneaky little programs called ‘spyware’ that could invade your computer without you even knowing they were there. Worse than that, spyware can steal information about you. I didn't want my personal details bandied about the Internet for all to see, especially my financial information; I could only image what would happen if someone got ahold of my credit card numbers. What is Spyware? Spyware is an evil little software that sneaks into your computer and can spy on you and even record your personal data. Here’s a peek at some of ways spyware shows up online: Read more >>

Adware, Malware, Spyware, oh my! If you are like the 90% of the computer users who use your PC regularly, then you must have heard about these terms. But, you may not know they are harmful to you and your computer and it’s also likely you doing nothing about it. Before telling you how to keep your computer safe from these harmful wares, first you need to know what you are dealing with. Each of these harmful wares uses the internet to get onto your computer and do their evil deeds, whether you are browsing the internet, downloading content, or opening an email. We start with spyware, which by its name suggests that it is software that spies on your computer. This is true in a sense, but it gets worse. Spyware, after infecting your computer without your knowledge, will secretly gather information and data and deliver it to the maker of the spyware (a person or an organization). Spyware can reveal your email or web passwords, credit cards pins, or any other important personal or financial information that you have stored or enter into your computer. Spyware can also record each key that you press on your keyboard, your browsing habits and preferences, and even read the emails that come in or go out from your computer. They can collect and take advantage of your information and use it without your permission. It goes without saying this leaves you highly vulnerable to identity theft. A second, although not as serious, loss due to spyware is the consumption of memory and system resources as it operates in the background. Read more >>