Antiviruses, Adware, Spyware, Ransomware Flashcards
What is adware?
Adware, or advertising-supported software, is software that displays unwanted advertisements on your computer. Adware programs will tend to serve you pop-up ads, change your browser’s homepage, add spyware and just bombard your device with advertisements.
What is spyware?
Spyware is unwanted software that infiltrates your computing device, stealing your internet usage data and sensitive information. Spyware gathers your personal information and relays it ot advertisers, data farms, or external users.
Usually, it aims to track and sell your internet usage data, capture your credit card or bank account information, or steal your personal identity.
What can spyware do?
- Spyware monitors your internet activity.
- Tracking your login and password information.
- Spying on your sensitive information.
What is ransomware?
The idea behind ransomware, a form of malicious software, is simple: lock and encrypt a victim’s computer or device data, then demand a ransom to restore access.
In many cases, teh victim must pay the cybercriminal within a set amount of time or risk losing access forever. Ransomware holds your personal files hostage, keeping you from your documents, photos, and financial information. Those files are still on your computer, but the malware has encrypted your device, making the data stored on your computer or mobile device inaccessible.
