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FULL SECURITY+ IN 31 DAYS COURSE 📹 Join the wait list - https://certbros.kit.com/01730e35f7 BOSON PRACTICE EXAMS ✔ Best practice exams - https://www.certbros.com/security-plus/exsim HAVE A QUESTION? 💬 Discord - https://www.certbros.com/discord Disclaimer: Some of these are affiliate links. If you purchase using these links, I'll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spyware and adware are two common types of malware that can seriously impact privacy and device performance, even if they look very different on the surface. What Is Spyware? Spyware is malware designed to collect personal and sensitive information without your knowledge or consent. Spyware can capture a wide range of data, including: - Websites you visit - Personal details such as your name, address, and date of birth - Email contacts - Credit card and banking information - Login credentials - Personal messages - Periodic screen captures and webcam images - Webcam and microphone activity Once collected, this information can be sold for profit, used for identity theft or financial fraud, or even used for extortion and blackmail. Spyware infections can happen through many common routes, including phishing emails, infected software downloads, and malicious websites. Stalkerware on Mobile Devices Spyware is increasingly common on mobile devices. It may arrive through a malicious app that appears harmless, like a game or a useful tool. It can also be installed by someone the victim knows, such as a spouse or family member. In this scenario, the term stalkerware is often used. Stalkerware is designed to track activity on the device it is installed on, and it is typically used for personal monitoring rather than broad surveillance. Stalkerware can enable monitoring of: - Location - Call and message logs - Social media activity - Microphone access - Camera access Some stalkerware apps are commercially available from vendors, which places them in a legal grey area. They are often marketed for uses like parents monitoring children, employers monitoring company devices, or individuals monitoring their own devices. However, installing stalkerware on someone else’s device without their knowledge is illegal in many places, and these apps are often designed to remain undetected. What Is Adware? Adware is malware designed to present adverts to the user. These adverts can appear in several ways, including: - Pop up windows on the computer - Toolbars appearing in the browser - A browser homepage changing unexpectedly - Adverts appearing on websites where you would not expect them Adware can also track browsing behaviour to show targeted ads based on user activity. How Adware Makes Money Adware typically generates revenue in two main ways. Ad Views The attacker earns money based on how many adverts are displayed. This is why adware often triggers large numbers of adverts at once. Pay Per Click The attacker earns money whenever the user clicks an advert. This encourages adware creators to make ads more intrusive and harder to ignore. Advertising itself is not inherently malicious. Many legitimate businesses use ads to fund services, and some free software includes adverts as a legitimate revenue model. Adware becomes malware when it forces adverts on you without meaningful consent, manipulates browser settings, or tracks activity in a way you did not agree to. Spyware and adware are both long running malware categories that remain common today. You should now understand how spyware focuses on covert data collection, how it can appear as commercial surveillance tools or stalkerware, and how adware focuses on unwanted advertising that generates revenue through views and clicks, often by hijacking browser behaviour and tracking user activity.