Written By: Jose J. Rodriguez-Sanchez
MSIT 660 Final Project
Malware / Spyware
What is Spyware?
The term spyware is a combination of the word spy and the abbreviation software. Spyware is software that is designed to steal data and information from a computer and then transmits the data to another computer via the internet. Spyware is used for either criminal activities such as identity theft and fraud or spying on someone without their consent of the owner for financial gain or to keep taps on them due to lack of trust. Spyware is a key source for criminals to steal identities by scanning financial documents on the computer storage medias, stealing their information such as full name, date of birth, social security number, telephone number, home address, username and passwords for financial institutions or e-mail accounts.
"Spyware covertly
gathers user information and activity without your knowledge. Spy software can
record your keystrokes as you type them, passwords, credit card numbers,
sensitive information, where you surf, chat logs, and can even take random
screenshots of your activity. Basically whatever you do on the computer is
completely viewable by the spy. You do not have to be connected to the Internet
to be spied upon."
(University of Central Arkansas, 2004)
There are three methods by which the data is stolen:
Scanning Document on Computer- This is the process of scanning any or all documents on a computer's hard drive, without the consent or knowledge of the computer user.
Web Browser History (Cookies)- This is the process of retrieving the history of a user's internet surfing habits and collecting/storing cookies, without the consent or knowledge of the computer user.
Keyboard Key Stroke Logging- This is the process of retrieving the keyboard key stroke pattern of a computer user, without the consent or knowledge of the computer user.
Parents and jealous spouses also use spyware to monitor their love ones activities on the internet. Many parents use spyware to monitor what websites their children visit, to gain access to their children's My-Space portal /e-mail account username / password combination and to read their instant messaging transcripts, when they do not trust their children or just want to spy on them without offending them. Jealous spouses also use these same techniques to ensure that they are nit having an inappropriate relationship outside the relationship.
Although spyware does not cause any damage to the computer or network that it infects, the damaged caused to the individual sometimes turns out to be more costly than replacing a damaged computer. The effects of spyware can also want an individual for a long period of time, especially if there was identity theft involved in the disaster or a broken relationship due to information retrieved via the spyware.
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