Spyware | Solutional Webdesign Antwerpen

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Spyware is a type of malicious software that is covertly installed on a user’s computer^[1]. Originating in 1995 for espionage purposes, it was popularized by Gregor Freund in 2000. The main types include adware, system monitors, tracking cookies, and trojans. Its primary roles involve hacking, avoiding detection, and removal, often used to steal personal information, deliver unwanted pop-up ads, and interfere with user control. It spreads either through deceiving the user or exploiting software vulnerabilities. The threats of spyware have led to the emergence of an anti-spyware industry, with various programs designed to detect and remove such threats. Despite the existence of these remedies, spyware remains a costly problem. It has been linked to identity theft and financial losses, raising significant legal concerns.

Terms definitions

1. ↑ computer. A computer is a sophisticated device that manipulates data or information according to a set of instructions, known as programs. By design, computers can perform a wide range of tasks, from simple arithmetic calculations to complex data processing and analysis. They have evolved over the years, starting from primitive counting tools like abacus to modern digital machines. The heart of a computer is its central processing unit (CPU), which includes an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) for performing mathematical operations and registers for storing data. Computers also have memory units, like ROM and RAM, for storing information. Other components include input/output (I/O) devices that allow interaction with the machine and integrated circuits that enhance the computer's functionality. Key historical innovations, like the invention of the first programmable computer by Charles Babbage and the development of the first automatic electronic digital computer, the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC), have greatly contributed to their evolution. Today, computers power the Internet, linking billions of users worldwide and have become an essential tool in almost every industry.

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Spyware (Wikipedia)

Spyware (a portmanteau for spying software) is any software with malicious behavior that aims to gather information about a person or organization and send it to another entity in a way that harms the user by violating their privacy, endangering their device's security, or other means. This behavior may be present in malware and in legitimate software. Websites may engage in spyware behaviors like web tracking. Hardware devices may also be affected.

Spyware is frequently associated with advertising and involves many of the same issues. Because these behaviors are so common, and can have non-harmful uses, providing a precise definition of spyware is a difficult task.

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