Originally posted by babydoll_
can you explain what spyware is please?
Spyware
General term for a program that surreptitiously monitors your actions. While they are sometimes sinister, like a remote control program used by a hacker, software companies have been known to use spyware to gather data about customers.
The practice is generally frowned upon.
Adware
While not necessarily malware, adware is considered to go beyond the reasonable advertising that one might expect from freeware or shareware.
Typically a separate program that is installed at the same time as a shareware or similar program, adware will usually continue to generate advertising even when the user is not running the originally desired program.
Malware
A generic term increasingly being used to describe any form of malicious software.
E.g. viruses, trojan horses, malicious active content, etc.