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Spyware

The term Spyware is often used interchangeably with adware and malware (software designed to infiltrate and damage a computer respectively). Personal information is secretly recorded with a variety of techniques, including logging keystrokes, recording Internet web browsing history, and scanning documents on the computer’s hard disk.

Purposes range from criminal (theft of passwords and financial details) to the merely annoying (recording Internet search history for targeted advertising, while consuming computer resources).
Spyware may collect different types of information. Some variants attempt to track the websites a user visits and then send this information to an advertising agency. More malicious variants attempt to intercept passwords or credit card numbers as a user enters them into a web form or other applications.

Check out FrankandHonest.com’s Internet Security info pages for details of other ways to protect your computer.

Links and contact details

Name: AVG Anti-Virus
Web: http://free.avg.com/download-avg-anti-virus-free-edition
Email:
Tel:
Info: Popular free anti-virus software. you can download the software from

the link above. AVG also offers paid for anti-virus packages – see the

website for a list of the differences between the free product and the paid

for product.

Name: ZoneAlarm
Web: http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en-us/compare-anti-virus-spyware-

software.htm
Email:
Tel:
Info: Free Firewall downloads.

Name: Windows Defender
Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx
Email:
Tel:
Info: Free anti-spyware program from Microsoft.

Name: ThinkYouKnow
Web: www.thinkuknow.co.uk
Email:
Tel:
Info: Website developed by by the team at the Child Exploitation and Online

Protection (CEOP) Centre. Lots of info on staying safe online.

Name: Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) – Report an issue
Web: http://www.ceop.gov.uk/reportabuse/index.asp
Email:
Tel:
Info: Info on reporting something that you are concerned about online.

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