| The largest target of spyware is without a doubt | | | | and firewalls, and/or lowers browser security |
| Microsoft's Internet Explorer. It is the most widely | | | | settings, which subjects the system to additional |
| used web browser and it has a long history of weak | | | | infections. In addition, there have been cases where |
| security. Its deeply integrated into the Windows | | | | a spyware program has disabled a competitor's |
| operating system and its scriptability make it very | | | | spyware program already installed on the computer. |
| susceptible to intrusion by malicious software. | | | | There are some forms of spyware that modify |
| Browser helper objects can easily attach to Internet | | | | system files to make themselves very difficult to |
| Explorer. These helper objects redirect traffic and | | | | remove. For example, Targetsoft changes the |
| add toolbars. | | | | "Winsock" Windows Sockets files. Removing the |
| The most common cause for users of the Microsoft | | | | spyware infected file "inetadpt.dll" will interfere with |
| Windows operating system to seek technical support | | | | networking usage. For the sake of convenience, a |
| from internet service providers or computer | | | | Windows user generally has administrative-level |
| manufacturers is the infestation of spyware. In most | | | | system privileges. Because of this, any program |
| cases the user has no comprehension of spyware | | | | which the user runs, intentionally or not, will have full |
| and thinks that the system's stability, performance, | | | | access to the entire system. Spyware, along with |
| and/or connectivity issues relate to Microsoft | | | | other various dangers, has caused some Windows |
| Windows, hardware, or to a virus. Occasionally, | | | | users to change to other platforms such as Apple |
| owners of seriously infected systems end up | | | | Macintosh or Linux, which are less frequently |
| purchasing an entire new computer system because | | | | targeted by spyware authors. |
| their existing system "has become too unreliable or | | | | The most common complaints about spyware are |
| slow". Extremely infected systems sometimes require | | | | Pop-up advertisements. Displaying and/or downloading |
| a clean re-install of all their software to allow the | | | | ads can overwhelm a system. Its very rare for an |
| system to function properly. This is a highly | | | | infected system to have only one spyware program |
| time-consuming chore, even for accomplished users. | | | | running. More typically, the system will be infected by |
| Normally, a single piece of spyware does not make a | | | | dozens of applications. So, while one of the programs |
| computer unusable. However, an infected computer | | | | may display ads infrequently,the cumulative effect on |
| almost always has more than one piece of spyware | | | | the system can become overwhelming. |
| installed. AOL did a study in 2004 and concluded that | | | | Most web users dislike offensive or irritating |
| if a computer has any spyware at all, it will be | | | | advertisements. Just like banner ads, some spyware |
| infected by dozens of different pieces. Its the | | | | advertisements use flickering banners or animation |
| cumulative effect of the different spyware | | | | designed to get the user's attention - because of this |
| components that cause the problems reported by | | | | they are very distracting. Pornography Pop-up ads |
| users. The computer slows down to a crawl, | | | | often display indiscriminately, this even includes when |
| overpowered by the many power-draining processes | | | | children may be using the computer which is in |
| running on it. Similar to an immune deficiency disease, | | | | violation of many anti-pornography laws. |
| some kinds of spyware disarms anti-virus software | | | | |