Beware of Spyware

Like most computer viruses and malware, it seems strange that the tiny programs that make up spyware can end up doing so much damage. Of course, the big things are always made up of thousands of tiny things, so maybe it shouldn’t be that surprising. Much like Trojans or worms, spyware is often passed on to users in subtle ways and generally goes undetected.

Spyware is generally hard to detect and usually steals small packets of information to pass along. This information can be virtually anything. Of course, not all spyware is alien in nature either. Parents may install forms of spyware or antivirus software to monitor their children’s online activities. A particularly untrusting boyfriend of girlfriend may implement a similar plan. For example, there are spyware applications such as keystroke loggers that record what people type while using a certain computer.

However, it’s safe to say that most spyware is not the result of an in-house scheme. While the name may imply otherwise, spyware isn’t just designed to watch and report. In fact, spyware can affect your computer’s performance and the manner in which it interacts with the internet. What this means is that spyware can slow your connection speeds and even redirect your browser to pages that the spyware app wants you to view. Since spyware is often difficult to detect, knowing some red flags can help you determine whether your computer is infected.

How Spyware Gets In

Like most malware, spyware normally gets in by deception and fraud. While most spyware doesn’t self-replicate, it can make its way into your system as the payload of a worm or as the result of a Trojan horse attack. Spyware can also masquerade as internet security software or piggyback on legitimate software that you install intentionally.

How Spyware Attacks

Mostly, spyware attacks in groups. It’s rare to find a computer that has been seriously compromised by one small packet of spyware. Generally, the combined effect of several spyware applications running simultaneously overwhelms your system's vital functions and can slow your computer to a crawl. Since it is so secretive, many times people blame their computers. They assume that their machines are too old or that there is a hardware defect. In reality, it’s simply the cumulative effect of a handful of parasitic spyware imps working together to cause exponential damage. This damage includes but is not limited to hijacking CPU activity, freezing applications, causing internet and network problems, and crashing other applications. It can be quite a mess.

How to Defend Your Computer and Yourself

Just like defending your computer from every other form of malware, defending against spyware requires a mixture of common sense, preparedness and education. Besides using a firewall and installing antivirus software, it also helps to adjust your internet security settings. There is also specific antispyware software that looks for things that antivirus software might miss. However, the best way to protect yourself from spyware is to browse and download safely. If you download software, make sure that you understand everything that it will install on your computer, and only download items from sites you are familiar with and trust.

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