MTA On Line Self Help Page
What is a Spyware?
Spyware is a program designed to collect information about you.
That information is then sent to the program writers who sell it to marketers or people who wish to steal your identity..
Spyware is extremely sneaky and hard to detect.
Many tempting offers call out from the Internet. Media players, browser enhancers, or funny animation can all be downloaded with the simple click of a button. However, users downloading free software applications, or “freeware,” don’t often realize the potentially damaging consequences these programs can bring. Before you accept another free download, remember that you might also be gaining some new “spyware” with that freeware. Trust us, it's a trade-off you don’t want. Spyware is designed to invade your privacy and even steal your most valuable personal information.
As the name implies, Spyware is a sneaky software program that slips into your computer and gathers information about both your online activity and the information stored in your computer, like your passwords. This is one way identity theft can happen. The worst part is that you might not even be aware of Spyware running in your computer. Security experts generally classify Spyware as a software program that installs itself without a user's permission and without clearly or honestly telling users what personal information it gathers or how it uses your information. According to the research firm International Data Corporation (IDC), 67 percent of all computers are infected with some form of Spyware.
In addition to the invasion of your privacy, some Spyware can drastically modify your Web browsing experience by changing your browser preferences and adding sites to your “Favorites” list without your knowledge. Spyware may also cause application crashes, slow system performance, and frequent system errors.
Most Spyware applications hitch a ride on those “too good to be true” free software downloads found all over the Internet today. Promises of enhanced Web browsing or beautiful screensavers that are fulfilled by the click of an “Accept Install” button, might be masking a Spyware infestation.
Besides being extremely sneaky, Spyware programmers are becoming sophisticated too. They are now making programs available that actually claim to be "Spyware Removal Tools"! So, instead of removing Spyware, you could be tricked into installing even more!
Nothing is free. Nobody is out there writing great programs to just give away. There's always some cost involved whether it be money or information.
The best way to avoid Spyware is to be careful about what you download and install on your computer.
The Team
