This page gives an overview of spyware and outlines some practices to defend against it.Spyware is becoming more widespread as online attackers and traditional criminals use it as a tool for crimes against individuals, businesses, and governments. Statutes banning spyware exist in a number of states and Congress is considering national legislation.

Spyware can lead to financial loss, as in identity theft and credit card fraud, and it can also reduce consumers’ confidence in online safety and their willingness to participate in modern electronic commerce.

One approach to combating spyware is to make it less profitable for the criminals using it. Technical solutions that combat spyware focus on finding, blocking, or removing spyware.

Overview of Spyware
Spyware is one type of malicious software (malware) that collects information from a computing system without your consent. Spyware can capture keystrokes, screenshots, authentication credentials, personal email addresses, web form data, internet usage habits, and other personal information. The data is often delivered to online attackers who sell it to others or use it themselves for marketing or spam or to execute financial crimes or identity theft.

Software installed after the user has read and agreed to a clear privacy policy or to an End-User
License Agreement (EULA) that describes the software’s data collection activities does not meet
the definition of spyware. It is your responsibility to carefully read such polices and agreements
to make sure you understand and agree with their terms.

Who Is Spying?
The people who use spyware include

• online attackers
• marketing organizations
• organized crime
• trusted insiders

Data Gathered by Spyware
Spyware can monitor nearly any activity or data related to your computing environment. This is not limited to files on your hard drives but can also include temporary data such as screen shots, keystrokes, and data packets on connected networks.
When spyware is running on a computer system, there is almost no data outside the reach of a malicious programmer. Commonly targeted data includes

• Internet activity
• Email and contact information
• Windows Protected Store data (defined below)
• Clipboard contents
• Keystrokes
• Screenshots
• Network traffic

What You Can Do

• Don’t trust unknown or known high-risk sources
• Read the fine print
• Pay attention when installing applications
• Keep your operating system and software up to date
• If You Are Running Windows XP, Install Service Pack 2