What is Spyware and What Does It Do?
If you are taking steps to protect your PC, you might be wondering, “what is spyware and what does it do?”
Spyware is a program or software that uses the network capabilities for collecting sensitive personal information about you without your awareness. Spyware is a specific type of malware: it does not seek to destroy your PC and let you know of its existence; it is there to spy on you.
Spyware is used for many different purposes, ranging from trying to steal your credit card information and account passwords to tracking your PC usage.
Spyware has many similarities with, and sometimes includes, keyloggers/keylogging as part of the spyware package.
Return to the Malware Glossary page.