What is Spyware?
With the Internet becoming such a popular part of our lives, it is easy to see why it can be a dangerous thing when people are careless. The Internet can be a very scary place when people become careless with who they share personal information with on the Internet. One way that this can happen is through a “phishing” attempt. A phishing attempt is when someone on the Internet requests personal information from you in order to try and get you to give them something of value such as your social security number.
The Internet has become a global connection that links computers around the globe. Through the Internet, individuals can share data and communicate with others from anywhere with an Internet service provider. Because of this, it is common for companies and individuals to exchange personal information such as credit card numbers, financial data, and even personal details about your hobbies and other activities on the Internet. This type of activity has made the Internet one of the most popular means of communication on the planet.
While the Internet was created to provide individuals and companies the ability to communicate, it has quickly become a method of collecting personal information about millions of users all over the planet. Because the Internet works through the TCP/IP networks, it is susceptible to attacks from various forms of malicious software that are designed to obtain personal and business information. In some cases, these attacks have resulted in fraud being committed which may have compromised the security of websites. To protect your computer and your network from attacks, you will want to make sure that you have the latest protection against internet protocol viruses and worms. There are several types of protection available including firewalls, anti-virus software, and anti-spyware software.
One of the largest threats to computer networks and the Internet itself is wireless spyware. Wi-Fi hotspots are everywhere nowadays and as a result, you will want to make sure that any computer networks you use for either work or leisure use are protected from unauthorized access by visiting web sites or downloading material from web sites that are not secure. By using Wi-Fi spyware, you can help prevent hackers and unauthorized Internet users from gaining unauthorized access to your computer networks.
Another major threat to the Internet and to the World Wide Web is data loss. Viruses and malware commonly cause data loss in both PCs and computers. Your entire computer system can be wiped out in a matter of minutes if you are not careful. This can be prevented by installing appropriate firewalls and antivirus software as well as keeping up with recent software upgrades. Software upgrades are often required as new viruses are released that require your computer system to run more efficiently.
E-mail spam is also one of the most common causes for damage to computer networks throughout the world. Many people send e-mails to other people that are not intended for distribution or public consumption and in doing so, they unintentionally damage your e-mail inbox. Hackers and online scammers commonly send viruses and spoof programs that attach themselves to infected e-mail attachments. The viruses and spyware attached to these attachments spread rapidly through the internet while simultaneously infecting all of the computers that are on the network.