On 19 May 2002, at 16:05, David Wood wrote:

> What is(are) Spyware(s)?

  "Spyware" is a term that has been coined to refer to software which
-- usually without your permission or knowledge -- collects
information from your machine (such as what sites you visit, or what
search strings you type) and sends it off across the Internet to the
creators or distributors of the program.

  Of course, a program that can do this can as easily do things like
capture and send passwords, credit card numbers, and so on, although
so far most of the well-known cases have merely been collecting
marketing info or system configuration data.

  Good "personal firewall" software will detect these programs
attempting to make an outbound connection, and ask you if they are
authorized to do so.  That's how most of them get found -- some
program you never heard of and don't remember installing suddenly
wants to talk to "spams-r-us.com"....

David Gillett

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