Spyware Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Spyware - Essay Example In this scenario, spyware is one of the most crucial security threats that has caused serious challenges for the business organizations and individuals. Basically, spyware consists of a wide variety of programs that an attacker uses to observe a computer users actions, get facts and information regarding the user, and store this data in order that they can use it for conducting illegal activities. The research has shown that the major target of spyware remains the internet community (Ames, 2004). This report presents a detailed analysis of spyware applications. The basic purpose of this research is to present an overview of spyware, its types, its working and some of the countermeasures. Computer owners are confronting with such a mounting threat that is considered to be the leading one, known as spyware (Reuters, Feb. 9, 2004). Its predominance was evident by the National Cyber Security Alliance who anticipated that it is about 90 percent of PCs with internet connections being affected by spyware. Moreover, a Web Sense Survey in 2004 proposed the spyware problem to be majorly manifested in IT companies (92%, according to the estimation) as claimed by their managers. It is the biggest dilemma that most of the internet users don’t even find about the induction of any spyware application until and unless it has already been installed on their PCs. Spyware is sort of a secreted character that is difficult to find. Although most users have understanding about spyware effects such as PCs being sluggish, strange search outcomes and fronting more pop-up ads but it could be dangerous because of its secret nature. In the late 1990s, software programs were being used m uch for getting info about the end-users. And in early 2000s, the Dot-com buzz made its usage more rampant. Generally, spyware is such a software that is used to get the information about the customers illegally and convey that info to the third-party while it pretends to be the data sensors. It creates