subject: So What The Hell Is SpyWare Anyway...? by:Jay Stamford [print this page] According to SoftwareReviews365.com, who specialize in anti spyware software reviews of the best products on the market; spyware is "computer software that obtains information from a user's computer without the user's knowledge or consent". Just like everything else in the digital arena, spyware is becoming more and more sophisticated. Leaving the unsuspecting internet surfer at risk of having their computers performance greatly reduced, their internet browsing habits monitored and even their personal financial details stolen.
"In our opinion no one should be browsing the internet without anti spyware protection" says Tristin Augustus, founder of SoftwareReviews365.com "because of the growth of cybercrime".
So how does all this Spyware affect you? Well
Spyware can slow down your computer as every computer has a limited amount of system resources. Every time another piece of software is ran, the computer must share its resources ever more thinly. Malicious software infections result in longer boot up times and an overall slowing down of the PCs performance.
Spyware can also dramatically slow down your Internet connection. Every Internet connection has a limited amount of data it can transfer at any one time. All spyware communicates with the Internet thereby using up some of your available Internet communication. The more spyware, the more Internet communication will take place and the less space on your Internet connection for your own use.
The average home PC contains 30 pieces of spyware according to an audit carried out in 2009 by Webroot Software. The type of infections range from the relatively harmless adware programs to malicious system monitors and trojan horses. Adware programs are software installations that display advertisements. System monitors are much more malicious and track a computer user's Internet activity and capture personal information. 'Trojan Horse' is the name given to malicious software which, although harmless itself, opens the way for more malicious software to be installed. Webroot Software found that, on average, the 30 pieces of spyware would contain at least 1 system monitor and 1 trojan horse.
Spyware can allow hackers to control your PC. Some versions install 'backdoors' to your PC that can allow someone from the outside to connect to your PC over the Internet and take full control of its use. Your PC can then be turned in to a 'zombie' that sends out Spam, Trojan horses and computer viruses in their millions.
Some Spyware removal programs even install Spyware. Why would they do that? In order to hide their own spying software. Think about it. You install an Anti-Spyware program to protect yourself against Spyware. The bogus Anti-Spyware program sweeps your PC for all Spyware except it's own secret list of allowed spy software. You think it's doing a great job and feel secure in using your PC when all the while secret spy software is sending out spam or monitoring your use looking for personal details.
It can be difficult to get to grips with all the possible threats in the real world yet alone cyber space and with that in mind SoftwareReviews365.com was developed to help people when it comes to choosing the latest anti spam software reviews, anti spyware software reviews and anti virus software reviews!
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If your thinking about protecting your PC then visit us at softwarereviews365.com for some of the best anti spyware software reviews!
