Spyware: the spy in the computer
Stephen J. Hinde · Computer Fraud & Security · 2004
Spyware is software, usually installed without the user's consent or knowledge, that gathers information secretly from a computer and relays that information, also covertly, to someone else. It can infiltrate a computer either as a virus or as a Trojan hidden within another program. Because of its ability to steal confidential information, spy-ware represents a security threat to businesses.