Wondering what spyware is? Well, spyware is a type of malware used to ‘spy’ on your computer or devices with the intent of collecting personal details, such as emails, passwords, browsing history and credit card numbers. It has the capability to pass this information on to third parties over the internet.
While not always destructive to your device, spyware software is often used unlawfully with the intent of gathering financial data, such as credit card or bank details, passwords and account PIN numbers without the user’s consent. This can be used to empty bank accounts or support fraudulent activity.
As well as obtaining personal data, certain types of spyware are able to harm your computer, making changes to your browser that result in slow performance or crashing altogether.
Spyware software can be installed without your knowledge through the opening of an email or attachment containing malicious software. Once installed, spyware is hard to detect and can sometimes be included alongside genuine software.
Each type of spyware operates differently, having varied effects on your computer:
Adware appears as unwanted pop-up windows and adverts. These ads can be annoying but are often safe. However, sometimes adware is used to collect personal information, track your movements and cause harm to your security system.
Keyboard Loggers (also known as keystroke loggers and keyloggers) record every keystroke you make, ultimately gaining access to your usernames and passwords across multiple sites. Like with most types of spyware, keyboard loggers can be installed for honest reasons where the user is aware, e.g. for parents to monitor their child’s internet activities or in a workplace.
Banking Trojans operate similarly to Trojan Horse viruses and gain access to a device or app by disguising as a legitimate source. By tricking users into downloading a file that appears genuine, banking Trojans are able to access and empty the unsuspecting user’s bank accounts.
Password Stealers pray on infected computers and are designed to collect and store passwords, without the user’s knowledge or consent. Password Stealers are applications that run in the background of a computer or device, harvesting and sending the stolen passwords to a specified destination or author for fraudulent use.
Spyware removal with specialised software is only necessary once your computer has been threatened. Follow the basic rules below to avoid an attack from the different types of spyware:
Avoid opening emails from unknown senders
Don’t download files or other attachments if you are unsure of the source
Be wary of links sending you to unfamiliar websites – a good habit to get into is hovering over the link with your mouse to check the destination before clicking through
Use a trusted and proactive anti-spyware system that not only cleans up your device and removes spyware software, but also acts as a spyware scanner and detector, identifying a threat before it is able to activate within your computer.
You can detect and remove threats for free using our easy-to-use online scanner. The one-time scan is quick and easy, can be used without installation and is a great way to identify vulnerabilities and remove these in the short-term.
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