1.4  Spyware versus computer virus

Computer viruses and spyware share many similar characteristics, particularly in how they infect your system, but the difference between them is in their purpose.  

Both spyware and viruses are created to wreak havoc. However, with a virus, the goal is to spread to as many computers and networks as quickly as they possibly can to create the greatest harm and generate publicity. The creators want to be famous among their peers and reviled by the rest of the computing world – those of us who just want to surf the net in peace.

Virus writing is one huge ego trip for the creator. Virus writers continuously attempt to trump their last creation or the viruses created by their competitors. Whoever infects the most computers in the least amount of time “wins.”

Spyware, on the other hand, is not meant to be noticed, found, or discovered, and is certainly not meant to bring attention to any certain company or individual. No, spyware, is meant to sit quietly on your PC collecting information and collecting it to make money off of your stolen information or, in the case of adware, serving ads and product promotions to you in an all out effort to make their creators not famous or notorious, but rich, rich, rich.

Because there is money at stake, spyware creators are determined to undermine the effectiveness of spyware detection programs. Spyware creators bombard the internet community with an unending string of more complex variations and mutations of their original creations in an attempt to overwhelm and undercut the efforts of spyware remover vendors.

<< Chapter 1.3 - Difference Between Spyware and Adware | Chapter 1.5- Signs of Spyware Infection >>