Understanding Spyware

So, why is spyware so bad? After all, it's just collecting demographics information-nothing that can actually identify you. Why worry about a few websites visited?

First, you can't be sure that the information a spyware program gathers is not identifiable. Some web sites store information in the URL, like this:

www.made-upbookstore.com?selectedbook="some_book" &paytype="Credit_Card"&cardnumber="12345"

The website is made up, but the programming holds. This could be the next to last website visited on an order from Made-UpBookstore, and this is a valid website, reported by the spyware app. It's just a website address, with absolutely no identifiable information, right…?

Second, spyware runs "behind the scenes." It visits web sites and servers without checking with the user. What if it decides to report in and bog down the system on the very last level of Space Paranoids? Worse, what if the program it interrupts isn't a game, but instead is critical to your business?

In most cases, spyware is installed without proper notification. Often, there isn't any notification at all-because spyware programmers know that most users would choose to not install it. Beyond that, a spyware program is a program running on the system-meaning, it has all the power and access rights of any other program on the same system, and the user doesn't even know it's there.

Two of the major spyware programs are Aureate and ClickTilUWin. Aureate has been known to spy on song and movie downloads, and report back on them. ClickTilUWin has even been known to install itself when the user clicks "No, I don't want to install this."

Finally, spyware is notoriously hard to uninstall. Unlike standard Windows programs, spyware may not show up in the Add/Remove Programs listing. Some programs even leave "hooks" behind, so that visiting certain websites will re-install the program you removed, without letting you know it's back.