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Your everyday tech holds so much valuable information. Between your computer, smartphone and tablet, we’re talking precious photos, private files and enough personal data to make hackers come running.

And with more and more of our information stored digitally, we’re exposed like never before to cybercriminals who want to get their hands on it. One of the sneakiest ways they do it? Spyware.

Spyware is malicious software secretly installed on your device. We’ll tell you exactly how it works and what you need to do to protect yourself from it.

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What is spyware?

Spyware refers to software that is secretly installed on your device with malicious intent. Criminals use it to steal personally identifiable information (PII), credit card details, browsing history, website login credentials and more.

It’s designed to be secret — you probably won’t even know it’s operating in the background as it has minimal impact on system resources. But, you’ll eventually figure it out once your bank accounts are drained or if your identity is stolen.

Spyware is believed to have originated in the mid-90s. But it was only in the early 2000s that it became synonymous with venomous software as it caught the attention of cybersecurity firms who recognized it as a real threat.

When talking about spyware, it’s important to understand that it could mean several different things. Here are a few examples:

Keyloggers

Keyloggers track your keyboard strokes to detect things like passwords, financial details or just to keep track of your internet usage. Employers can use them to keep an eye on employee habits while hackers use them for more nefarious purposes.

Adware

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