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Spyware can strike at any time — here’s how to protect yourself. (Photo: Getty)
Spyware is one of those terms that’s thrown around a lot in cybersecurity that you might be a little hazy on what, exactly, it is. Still, you’re probably at least aware on some level that it’s bad.
Spyware can strike at any time, and it most recently happened during an Apple data breach. The company issued an emergency spyware alert in September, urging users with iPhones, iPads and other Apple devices to update their software ASAP, after learning that Israeli spyware company NSO Group had developed a way to take control of nearly any Apple computer, watch or iPhone.
You shouldn’t panic about spyware, but you do want to make sure you’re protected against it. One way to fend off spyware is to invest in powerful software like Norton Security Online — a leader in cybersecurity. One account can help protect up to five mobile devices from all kinds of cyber threats.
Once it’s downloaded, Norton Security Online helps find and get rid of existing malware (including spyware), along with warding off future attempted attacks in real time. It even helps shield your personal and financial data, protecting your assets.
Shop it: Norton Security Online, 30-day free trial, then $4.99 a month, subscriptions.yahoo.com
OK, but what is spyware, exactly? Here’s what you need to know.
What is spyware?
“Spyware is software with malicious intent or purpose,” Tom Kelly, president and chief executive officer of the consumer privacy platform IDX, tells Yahoo Life. “This software can acquire information about a person or organization and send it to another entity to cause harm.” Spyware can include hacking into the personal device of a user and bypassing security and firewalls, Kelly says.
Spyware usually “monitors your behavior on a computer or device and then collects and transmits that data, with or without your permission,” tech and cybersecurity expert Chuck Brooks, president of Brooks Consulting …….
Source: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/what-is-spyware-yahoo-subscriptions-200833199.html