Spyware

Taken from Vigilant

5. Definition: Spyware, as the name suggests, is malicious software whose intention is to spy on an operating system, user, organization, or government. They track or monitor the activities of others. There are even official spyware which are used by Governments and national agencies. These work secretly or in stealth mode.
   
   Spyware may be installed as a payload of another malware, e.g., a virus.
   
   Reason for the name: Abbreviation of "spying malware".
   Propagation: Once installed, spyware will begin collecting confidential data about the user or OS for the attackers' specific needs and send this data out to the attackers.
   Examples of well-known spyware types: Tracking Cookies, which track what you did on the web pages, and Keyloggers (e.g., ComputerSpy), which can log everything you’ve typed including user IDs and passwords. Recall that we already spoke about keyloggers in Topic 3: Access Control.