Spyware is a large and growing threat to Internet users. In 2003 the National Cyber Security Alliance reported that 90% of all broadband users have spyware installed on their computers.
One spyware/adware maker, claims to have its advertising software installed on over 40 million computers. And that’s just one company — many of the most popular free software today are packed with spyware and adware from many different providers, and beyond the major companies there are tens of thousands of small programs that violate users’ privacy in every imaginable way.
The issue has become so large that the United States Congress is now investigating it. In late April 2004, senators Barbara Boxer, Ron Wyden and Conrad Burns introduced a bill to give the FTC the authority to force companies to tell users more about what their software does. And until that bill becomes law, spyware and adware are totally legal.
There is nothing preventing this software from ravaging your computer and your privacy, and indeed there are many companies and even hackers taking advantage of this dismal opportunity.
But what is spyware after all? The name certainly sounds menacing. What can it really do? How dangerous is it in reality? And what is adware, so often mentioned in the same breath? In this article, we’ll answer all of those questions as well as the most important one of all: how do I protect myself from spyware?
Although spyware is a serious problem on the Internet today, it shouldn’t make you afraid to go online or use your computer. Learning more about it, and how to stop it, is a great step towards being rid of spyware completely.