List of Spyware parasites
Spyware is any software designed to collect user personal information and send it out through a background Internet connection without the user's knowledge and consent. Spyware silently tracks user's web browsing habits, records visited web sites and logs taken actions. This activity allows spyware vendors to gather data for marketing and advertising purposes.
Spyware form and functionality may vary depending on vendor intentions. However, a particular program that uses an Internet connection to transfer data, which can be used to identify the user, is always classified as spyware.
Some programs mistakenly called spyware actually do not collect any vital information about the user and use a background Internet channel to transfer general statistics. They do not steal your name, contacts or any other details and therefore do not violate your privacy. Lots of legal advertising applications or ad-supported products such as a legitimate web browser Opera fall into this category. Although legal adware programs potentially are able to spy on a user, they shouldn't be accused of privacy violation, as proper use of adware is a legal revenue model for many software companies that allows to distribute complex commercial products for free.
Here the list of spyware parasites :
WAYS OF INFECTION
Spyware parasites differ from regular viruses. They do not spread by themselves and usually must be installed as any other software with or without the user’s consent. Some rare pests are able to exploit system security vulnerabilities and act similarly to worms. There are three major ways undesirable spyware program can get into the system.
1. Many spyware vendors deceive the user by presenting a particular spyware program as a useful tool, for example, a powerful web search service, fast download manager or reliable Internet accelerator. Users download and install such programs. However, practically all of them appear to be either completely useless or ineffective. Although in most cases users can uninstall such programs, spyware components stay in the system and remain fully functional.
2. Lots of free, ad-supported or shareware products are bundled with small add-ons needed by the host program to work properly. These add-ons actually are third-party spyware parasites. Uninstalling the host application not always removes bundled spyware.
3. Most widely spread spyware programs get into the system using Internet Explorer ActiveX controls or exploiting certain web browser vulnerabilities. Their vendors run insecure web sites filled with malicious code or distribute unsafe advertising pop-ups. Whenever the user visits such a site or clicks on such a pop-up, harmful scripts instantly install spyware. The user cannot notice anything suspicious, as parasites do not display any setup wizards, dialogs or warnings.
It is known that some spyware can also be dropped by specific viruses, trojans or worms.
Spyware affects mostly computers running Microsoft Windows operating system.
WHAT SPYWARE DOES?
- Steals sensitive personal information, identity details, monitors everything the user does online, tracks web browsing habits and sends all collected data to a remote server.
- Serves undesirable advertisements, displays large amount of annoying pop-ups. Such activity is specific to most illegal adware parasites.
- Redirects a web browser to advertising sites or commercial Internet search services whenever the user enters an incorrect site address or even without any obvious reasons.
- Changes web browser's default start and search pages to advertising sites and prevents the user from restoring initial settings. Such activity is common for all browser hijackers.
- Creates numerous links to advertising resources, places desktop shortcuts to third-party spyware sites, adds multiple bookmarks to the web browser's Favorites list.
- Modifies essential settings of a web browser, decreases overall system security level by enabling certain web browser's features that allow to quietly run any web scripts or install any software from the Internet.
- Connects a compromised computer to the Internet through high-cost phone number without user knowledge. This activity is specific to so called dialers. The system can be affected only if a modem is installed.
- Degrades overall system performance and causes software instability. Some parasites are badly programmed, they waste too much computer resources and conflict with installed applications.
- Provides no uninstall feature, hides processes, files and other objects in order to obstruct its removal as much as possible.
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