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Frequently Asked
Questions What is SpyWare?
Spyware programs make money for their publishers by reporting your
Internet travels and sending you advertisements. Some also report
your name, e-mail address, and other personal information. SpyWare
is part of an overall public concern about privacy on the Internet.
It is a way for shareware authors to make money from a product,
other than by selling it to the users. There are several large media
companies that offer them to place banner ads in their products in
exchange for a portion of the revenue from banner sales. This way,
you don't have to pay for the software and the developers are still
getting paid. If you find the banners annoying, there is usually an
option to remove them, by paying the regular licensing fee. SpyWare
can come in the form of cookies; information transmission, web bugs,
and most are deliberately hidden so users are unaware of the SpyWare.
What is Ad-ware?
AdWare is any software application in which advertising banners are
displayed while the program is running. The authors of these
applications include additional code that delivers the ads, which
can be viewed through pop-up windows or through a bar that appears
on a computer screen. The justification for AdWare is that it helps
recover programming development costsand helps to hold down the cost
for the user.
AdWare has been criticized for occasionally including code that
tracks a user's personal information and passes it on to third
parties, without the user's authorization or knowledge. This
practice has been dubbed SpyWare and has prompted an outcry from
computer security and privacy advocates, including the Electronic
Privacy Information Center.
What is ThiefWare?
Thief-Ware is software being used in an unethical or disagreeable
manner. The term does not necessarily mean that the software is
involved in outright thievery or other serious criminal activity as
determined by law.
Some of the software mentioned places links on victimized sites for
visitors to click on, leading them away to other competitor sites.
Many site owners would say the software is stealing visitors, which
makes ThiefWare an appropriate name for such services and software.
Are adware and spyware different?
Programs designed to deliver ads or to get marketing information is
considered as adware. Spyware is a subset of adware, focused on
reporting personal information.
How do AdWare safety work?
AdWare safety acts like antivirus tools. It maintains a library of
spyware filenames and registry keys, searching for and removing them
from your computer.
How did I get it?
Many ostensibly free programs come with spyware or adware. The
program installer doesn't always describe every program being
installed.
How are pop-ups related to adware?
Many adware and spyware programs deliver ads via browser pop-ups,
even if you aren't online. Frequent browser pop-ups usually indicate
adware has infected your computer.
What does a firewall do?
Firewalls detect and block incoming and outgoing Internet traffic.
They can block spyware from sending your personal information to the
Internet.
Is all adware bad?
Adware offers varying degrees of annoyance. Some adware merely
delivers a small ad banner in a program's interface, such as the ad
displayed in ICQ. Other types of adware launch pop-up browser
windows over pages you're currently viewing. The worst kind of
spyware gathers personal data about you and sends it to a central
server.
How do I prevent adware from infecting my system?
AdWare safety supplies immunizers that prevent known adware from
installing and hold off suspicious program installations. When you
install programs, make sure to read all the installer screens,
especially the license agreement.
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