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