Spyware

Spyware

What is spyware? Spyware is software or a program that observes a person’s computer activities stealthily and then transmits that information over the Internet to the company or person who installed the spyware.It monitors the computer activities of the user. It shows you banner ads that is based on what sites you surf. Most spyware is bundled in free software that you download from the Internet.Spyware does not directly spread in the manner of a computer virus or worm: generally, an infected system does not attempt to transmit the infection to other computers. Instead, spyware gets on a system through deception of the user or through exploitation of software vulnerabilities.
Most spyware is installed without user's knowledge. Since they tend not to install software if they know that it will disrupt their working environment and compromise their privacy, spyware deceives users, either by piggybacking on a piece of desirable software such as Kazaa, or by tricking them into installing it (the Trojan horse method). Some "rogue" spyware programs masquerade as security software.The distributor of spyware usually presents the program as a useful utility—for instance as a "Web accelerator" or as a helpful software agent. Users download and install the software without immediately suspecting that it could cause harm.

For example, Bonzi Buddy, a program bundled with spyware and targeted at children, claims that:
He will explore the Internet with you as your very own friend and sidekick! He can talk, walk, joke, browse, search, e-mail, and download like no other friend you've ever had! He even has the ability to compare prices on the products you love and help you save money! Spyware can also come bundled with other software. The user downloads a program and installs it, and the installer additionally installs the spyware. Although the desirable software itself may do no harm, the bundled spyware does. In some cases, spyware authors have paid shareware authors to bundle spyware with their software. In other cases, spyware authors have repackaged desirable freeware with installers that slipstream spyware.Some spyware authors infect a system through security holes in the Web browser or in other software. When the user navigates to a Web page controlled by the spyware author, the page contains code which attacks the browser and forces the download and installation of spyware. The spyware author would also have some extensive knowledge of commercially-available anti-virus and firewall software. This has become known as a "drive-by download", which leaves the user a hapless bystander to the attack. Common browser exploits target security vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer and in the Sun Microsystems Java runtime.
The installation of spyware frequently involves Internet Explorer. Its popularity and history of security issues have made it the most frequent target. Its deep integration with the Windows environment and scriptability make it an obvious point of attack into Windows. Internet Explorer also serves as a point of attachment for spyware in the form of Browser Helper Objects, which modify the browser's behavior to add toolbars or to redirect traffic.
In a few cases, a worm or virus has delivered a spyware payload. Some attackers used the Spybot worm to install spyware that put pornographic pop-ups on the infected system's screen.By directing traffic to ads set up to channel funds to the spyware authors, they profit personally.
You can detect spyware online using free spyware cleaners and by installing spyware protection software on your computer. Often it's best to start with free spyware cleaners because these free spyware removal tools will remove any spyware programs currently running on your computer.
Clever programmers author Spywares and they delivered to user’s computers through covert Internet installs. Spyware is all over the Internet in forms of Adware download, Trojan Horses and Browser Hijackers. From many different places you can get a spyware. Cute free Christmas screen saver maybe a potential Spyware or A song you download using downloader may contain Spyware. Subscribing to free online services or install new pop-ups or software without reading End User License Agreement (EULA) will install spywares on your computer. Spywares can install in your computer as cookies when you connect to a site. They send all information about your activities.
Types of Spywares
The spywares are of different forms. The types of spywares are as follows:
Password and Information Stealers
Keyloggers
Banking and Backdoor Trojans
Botnet Warms
BHO
Dialers
Downloaders

Password and Information Stealers
It steals passwords and other sensitive personal information. They do not contain any methods to replicate. They downloaded from some websites as Trojans and it is installed on the user’s system. It may contain a attractive message to make the user click. After installing it will run on user system and transmit the user’s password and other information to the remote places /people.
Keyloggers
Keyloggers monitor the user’s keystrokes with the intention of stealing password and other personal identity information. They can also record video or audio and transmit what they are capturing over your Internet connection. Keyloggers run as invisible process and it can capture snap shots, mouse activities, keystrokes even when a user is logged off. Remote Keyloggers record every keystroke in a computer and send it via email. The Log-file includes the title of the application that typed in and the date and time while typing. You can remove Keyloggers by installing anti-virus packages and installation of firewalls.

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