What can spyware do?

[adrian8311]

Hi,
Can I ask what can a spyware do? I heard that it can capture the website
you visit, right? What else can it do? Can it steal my password? Can it
steal my credit card number? Will it slow down my computer? How does it
installed into my computer?
Also, I encountered a browser hijack before, and I have to type the
website address in the hijacker's search engine in order to visit other
website; and at that time, I visited my bank website and entered my credit
card number, will they capture it?

Thx,
Adrian

[saturnotaku]

If you knew something wasn't right in your web browser, why in God's name didn't you run Ad-Aware and Spybot? Spyware/browser hijacks are capable of just about anything. Visiting your bank's site was one of the dumbest things you could have done.

[-=Gib-McFragger=-]

God I hope you are making that shizz up man, because if you aren't that has to be one of the most :retard: things you could have done. :screwy:

[DaveW]

Hi,
Can I ask what can a spyware do? I heard that it can capture the website
you visit, right? What else can it do? Can it steal my password?


yes


Can it
steal my credit card number?


yes


Will it slow down my computer?


Yes.

Spyware can also disable or delete certain software on your machine, like spyware killers, anti-virus, pop-up blockers, firewalls. I had one recently that overwrote media player with a copy of itsself.

The way to look at spyware is its software installed on your PC without your knowledge, without telling you what its about to do, so it could be doing anything. There is no reason to trust a piece of software you never heard of, that covertly installed itself, attempts to hide and avoid detection, and is a bitch to remove.


How does it installed into my computer?


Some gets bundled with free software that you download. E.g. you install Kazaa or Grokster, and you are also installing 10 different pieces of spyware.

Other spyware spreads through email and web pages using security vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer. Keeping your PC patched and running Spybot S&D every so often can limit these infections, but the best solution is to use Firefox instead of Internet Explorer.

[Son Goku]

Other spyware spreads through email and web pages using security vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer. Keeping your PC patched and running Spybot S&D every so often can limit these infections, but the best solution is to use Firefox instead of Internet Explorer.

Lets not forget a firewall program these days either. When So Big and other things were comming out, I hadn't noticed a thing (was using BlackIce then). Did a fresh install last December (always a good idea to get a clean Windows install periodically) and the very second I went online update the patches, welchia 32 auto-updated itself to my machine :eek: Being on the Internet these days without closing down or stealthing some of them ports is just asking for it.

[netviper13]

Lets not forget a firewall program these days either. When So Big and other things were comming out, I hadn't noticed a thing (was using BlackIce then). Did a fresh install last December (always a good idea to get a clean Windows install periodically) and the very second I went online update the patches, welchia 32 auto-updated itself to my machine :eek: Being on the Internet these days without closing down or stealthing some of them ports is just asking for it.

That's what I think is so brilliant about the nForce3's built-in firewall - you get protection even before booting into the OS. But seriously, I don't think there's a sane reason for anyone whose ISP doesn't block NAT to not at least be behind a router.