Spyware is a computer program that installs itself without the knowledge of the user, aiming to hijack the system in the computer.
After installing itself, it monitors the behaviour of the user and collects various personal information on the personal computer. Spyware programs interfears the user’s activity and begins harmful attacks to the computer such as
redirecting web browser activity to affilliated spyware websites, download viruses and change the settings on the user’s computer.
With the information collected, spyware sends personal information to various advertisers which will lead to spam of advertisements and pop ups in various programs on the computer such as email, instant messaging programs, web browsers and so on. For instance, if a user was browsing through a sports clothing website, spyware will study the user’s behaviour and will then lead the user to various pop ups and advertisements on sports goods.
This is also dangerous as many internet users release important personal information such as credit card numbers, telephone numbers, bank account numbers and so on. Hackers tend to send spyware in order to obtain important information such as these and dissapear without a trace.
Spyware often appears in attractive pop ups which are salient to most computer users. Salience is created through relative choices in color, size, sharpness and placement. (Kress and van Leeuwen, 1998). Colourful and attractive pop ups ensnares many users to click on its application enabling spyware to install itself after the user is directed to a third party website.
Just as pictures with text help enhance the meaning of a document, (Kress & van Leeuwen, 2006) these pop ups not only contain attractive images but manipulative texts that persuade internet users to download spyware such as “Click Here and Win a Free I-Pod.” Internet users, enticed by the image of an i-pod on the advertisement accompanied by such manipulative text will definitely cause the widespread of spyware. The wide spread of spyware has lead 90% of all computers which are connected to the Internet infected with spyware. (barracudanetworks.com, 2005)
After installing itself, it monitors the behaviour of the user and collects various personal information on the personal computer. Spyware programs interfears the user’s activity and begins harmful attacks to the computer such as
redirecting web browser activity to affilliated spyware websites, download viruses and change the settings on the user’s computer.With the information collected, spyware sends personal information to various advertisers which will lead to spam of advertisements and pop ups in various programs on the computer such as email, instant messaging programs, web browsers and so on. For instance, if a user was browsing through a sports clothing website, spyware will study the user’s behaviour and will then lead the user to various pop ups and advertisements on sports goods.
This is also dangerous as many internet users release important personal information such as credit card numbers, telephone numbers, bank account numbers and so on. Hackers tend to send spyware in order to obtain important information such as these and dissapear without a trace.
Spyware often appears in attractive pop ups which are salient to most computer users. Salience is created through relative choices in color, size, sharpness and placement. (Kress and van Leeuwen, 1998). Colourful and attractive pop ups ensnares many users to click on its application enabling spyware to install itself after the user is directed to a third party website.
Just as pictures with text help enhance the meaning of a document, (Kress & van Leeuwen, 2006) these pop ups not only contain attractive images but manipulative texts that persuade internet users to download spyware such as “Click Here and Win a Free I-Pod.” Internet users, enticed by the image of an i-pod on the advertisement accompanied by such manipulative text will definitely cause the widespread of spyware. The wide spread of spyware has lead 90% of all computers which are connected to the Internet infected with spyware. (barracudanetworks.com, 2005)
Considering these dangerous spywares have access to information such as credit card numbers, house addresses, and telephone numbers, this plague should be tracked down and destroyed immediately to ensure the safety of all internet users.
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Referencing
barracudanetworks.com, 2005, Spware Safety, viewed 23rd October 2007 <http://www.barracudanetworks.com/newsletter/Barracuda%20Spyware%20Firewall%20Datasheet%2020050516.pdf>
Kress, G & van Leeuwen, T 1998, ‘Chapter 7: Front pages: (the critical) analysis of newspaper layout’, in Bell, A & Garret, P (eds) 1998, Approaches to media discourse, Blackwell, Oxford,
Walsh, M 2006, ‘The ‘textual shift’: examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts’, The Australian Journal of Language and Literacy
