What is the work of a spyware?

Question

i really need to know the work of anti-spyware plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Answer 1

Spyware is computer software that is installed surreptitiously on a personal computer to intercept or take partial control over the user's interaction with the computer, without the user's informed consent.

While the term spyware suggests software that secretly monitors the user's behavior, the functions of spyware extend well beyond simple monitoring. Spyware programs can collect various types of personal information, such as Internet surfing habit, sites that have been visited, but can also interfere with user control of the computer in other ways, such as installing additional software, redirecting Web browser activity, accessing websites blindly that will cause more harmful viruses, or diverting advertising revenue to a third party. Spyware can even change computer settings, resulting in slow connection speeds, different home pages, and loss of Internet or other programs. In an attempt to increase the understanding of spyware, a more formal classification of its included software types is captured under the term privacy-invasive software.

In response to the emergence of spyware, a small industry has sprung up dealing in anti-spyware software. Running anti-spyware software has become a widely recognized element of computer security best practices for Microsoft Windows desktop computers. A number of jurisdictions have passed anti-spyware laws, which usually target any software that is surreptitiously installed to control a user's computer.

How anti-spyware works

The techniques that anti-spyware software uses to find and remove spyware are many and varied, but they are generally similar to the systems used to detect and remove viruses.

Some methods of detecting spyware fingerprints include:

    * Hard disk scans. The anti-spyware software checks all the files on the PC's hard disk against a database of known spyware packages. The best solutions use a mathematical process called a checksum or hash algorithm to ensure that the files on the hard disk are exactly the same as those noted in the database. The worst anti-spyware uses file and directory names as a detection method, which is a very good way to get false positives and miss spyware that changes names.

    * Registry scans. The software looks for modifications made by spyware to Windows configuration files.

    * Memory scans. The anti-spyware checks currently running processes for any that match known spyware.

    * URL monitoring. The software keeps track of visited Web sites and monitors cookies and executed ActiveX controls, and compares the sites and controls to its internal database of known spyware networks.

Answer 2

well.... spyware usually hijacks your browser and makes your computer into a remote desktop where someone else (aka a CRACKER [NOT HACKER!!]) can than see what you do, get all your passwords, and see what interests you have and then try to sell you some fake versions of stuff... the works of anti-spyware are to check your computer for outbound ip packets that look unfimilar or inbound ip packets... also they look for different apps that do not look like other apps and "act" different