Noun
spyware (uncountable)
(Internet) Programs that surreptitiously monitor and report the actions of a computer user. [from 1990s]
At the bottom, the elimination of spyware and the preservation of privacy for the consumer are critical goals if the Internet is to remain safe and reliable and credible. Cliff Stearns
And if bank employees use devices at home to access office networks, they are more likely to be or become infected with malware or spyware; unsecure home Wi-Fi networks may use routers with weaker security. Source: Internet
One way it has done this, he claims, is through a devious connection between the government in Jerusalem and the Israeli spyware company NSO Group, which was “alleged to have helped Saudi Arabia track the murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi.” Source: Internet
Given the prevalence of blackmail and extortion against political and business rivals, the risk of abuse of this spyware is unacceptably high in Nepal. Source: Internet
After seeing pop-ups on other websites, she assumed her computer had spyware or had been hacked, but then scoured the forums to notice similar behavior on other Lenovo laptops. Source: Internet
Anti-spyware programs seeAlso Many programmers and some commercial firms have released products dedicated to remove or block spyware. Source: Internet