People Fall into the Spyware Trap by the Thousands Every Day
You might think you are immune to spyware, but people fall into
the spyware trap by the thousands every day. The following
scenario should be enlightening. It’s Wednesday and your
friend’s birthday is Saturday. You decide to buy her a CD. An
Internet search takes you to some online stores that seem
legitimate, so you place an order with one. After you create an
online account, agree to the store’s policies, and select “check
out,” you enter your credit-card number and personal
information. You pay for overnight shipment so you know you’ll
have the gift in time for the party.  What you don’t know is
that while you were shopping some programs were installed on
your computer without your knowledge. These programs are called
spyware. They transmit personal information to a third party
without your knowledge and explicit consent.  Often spyware has
been added to your computer legally because you actually
consented to have it installed. You might not be