what is a spyware and adware

i need a help, can any help me with the explaiation and uses of spyware,adware and firewall.

Spyware = software that intends to spy on your computing habits.

Adware = software that aims to target adverts at you - similar to spyware.

Firewall = software programme that filters (in various ways) the communication channel and traffic between several computing nodes.

Wikipedia will give you detailed explanations.

Dave

My other home, Major Geeks, is devoted to these issues. There they have a forum that is restricted to qualified folks to help remove this trash if you're computer gets infected. Other than that they also have other forums to general computer issues. Good site for free downloads of clean software too, they pride themselves on it.

Spyware and Adware usually come as a 'Bonus' feature, when you download 'free' software from the internet. Nothing is truly free. You can also get it with bundled software, and software that comes with devices like MP3 players and digital cameras. Most aren't intended to be malicious, but they run in the background. When you get a bunch of them going at the same time, it slows down your computer, uses up hard drive space, and basically become annoying. Also tend to be a royal pain to find and remove, since nobody wants them, or would willingly install them, they get hidden.

I used Spybot for a number of years, it's a free download, works well. Usually monthly updates for all the stuff in searches for. Has some other useful tools as well.

This should give a bit more information. Hope this helps!

http://webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Internet/2004/spyware.asp

HarveyH42 said:

Spyware and Adware usually come as a 'Bonus' feature, when you download 'free' software from the internet. Nothing is truly free. You can also get it with bundled software, and software that comes with devices like MP3 players and digital cameras. Most aren't intended to be malicious, but they run in the background. When you get a bunch of them going at the same time, it slows down your computer, uses up hard drive space, and basically become annoying. Also tend to be a royal pain to find and remove, since nobody wants them, or would willingly install them, they get hidden.

Click to expand...

Spyware (and sometimes adware) is often propagated through exploiting vulnerabilities in software, most often web browsers, to install the said wares. This is what you guys state-side call "drive-by-downloads" drawing linkage with the nature of drive-by-shootings. This mechanism often gives the spyware a stealthy presence on a system (quite a desirable feature for software that aims to "spy").

You are right about adware as a bonus - developers often cite this as a mechanism for them offering their software for free. The key is to only install trusted applications from trusted sources.

Dave