differences between malware, spyware and adaware?

4 responses so far ↓

• 1 hexrunt // May 10, 2008

  Malware is a generic term that is of any software that serves malicous purposes.Malware can be spyware or adware or even worse things.

  Spyware is malware that spies on your computer and your usage. Different ones spy on different things. Some simply track websites others are key loggers designed to try and catch your passwords to email accounts, bank accounts and so forth.

  Adware is simply malware that is responsible for normally pop up ads and redirecting your web browsers to certain sites for advertisment purposes.

• 2 James // May 10, 2008

  yah, adaware is infact an anti-spyware program (note: adaware is also used for spyware, not just adware)

  anyways, malware is what spyware and adware fall into. its like a bigger category which also includes viruses, worms, trojans (anything that causes harm to your PC. hence the name "mal"ware).

  spyware slowly over time collects info about you like browsing history and such and sells it to companies so that they can bombard you with ads and other unwanted things.

  adware on the other hand, is much more err. shall we say… "unharmful". it just gives you harmless pop ups and such

• 3 ineedacar // May 10, 2008

  malware = does bad things to your computer on purpose
  spyware = grabs information about you and gives it to the person or orginization that sent it
  adware = makes popup ads occour all the time even when your not using a web browser (some work without a contenuous internet connection so dial up users can see to)

  however adaware is an adware scanner but i like spybot better XD

• 4 smarty7 is back // May 10, 2008

  Adware—
  Adware or advertising-supported software is any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertising material to a computer after the software is installed on it or while the application is being used. Some types of adware are also spyware and can be classified as privacy-invasive software.

  Spyware—
  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.

  Malware—
  Malware is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner's informed consent. It is a portmanteau of the words malicious and software. The expression is a general term used by computer professionals to mean a variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software or program code.

  If you need to protect your computer from these install a Antispyware or a Internet security suite

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