Spyware

There is no fixed definition of spyware, but one example is software that collects information about the use of the computer on which the software is installed, and the user. When the computer is connected to the Internet, the software periodically relays the information back to the software manufacturer or a marketing company. Some spyware traces a user’s Web activity and causes advertisements to suddenly appear on the user’s monitor — called “pop-up ads” — in response. Typically, users have no knowledge that the software they obtained included spyware and that it is now resident on their computers.