According to Norton, a leading antivirus and security software, spyware is a type of poisonous software that is installed on your computer or mobile device without your consent.

It can then gain access to your personal information and transfer it to other parties, resulting in annoying advertising and pop-ups to track your keystrokes and capture your login credentials.

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Peter Niyodusenga, a professor of cybersecurity at the Adventist University of Central Africa (AUCA) and the senior manager of network and system security at BSC PLC (Broadband System Corporation), said the information gathered might be about your online browsing habits or purchases, but spyware code can also be modified to record more specific activities.

"Data compromised by spyware often includes collecting confidential information such as login credentials (passwords and usernames), account PINs, credit card numbers, monitored keyboard strokes, tracked browsing habits and harvested email addresses,” he said.

Niyodusenga also said that malicious (any software intentionally designed to cause disruption to a computer) spyware needs to mask itself carefully to install and operate unnoticed. Therefore, its methods of infection are usually obscured within seemingly normal downloads or websites.

This malware may be in or alongside legitimate programmes and websites via vulnerability exploits, or in custom-designed fraudulent apps and sites.

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Problems that may be caused by spyware

According to Kaspersky Lab, a Russian multinational cybersecurity and anti-virus provider, some of the problems that may be caused by spyware to your device include data theft and identity fraud. If malicious software has access to every piece of information on your computer, it can harvest more than enough information to imitate your identity, like if you’ve visited online banking sites, spyware can siphon your bank account information or credit card accounts and sell it to third parties or use them directly.

Computer or device damages can be another problem caused by spyware, it can be poorly designed and the lack of performance optimisation can take up an enormous amount of your computer’s memory, processing power, and internet speed.

As a result, infected devices may run slowly and lag in between applications or while online, worse cases include frequent system crashes or overheating your computer, causing permanent damage. Some spyware can even disable your internet security programmes.

In addition, spyware can also manipulate search engine results and deliver unwanted websites in your browser, which can lead to potentially harmful websites or fraudulent ones.

It can also cause your home page to change and can even alter some of your computer’s settings. Pop-up advertisements are an equally frustrating issue that accompanies some types of spyware. Advertisements may appear even when offline, leading to inescapable annoyances.

Preventing spyware

Niyodusenga also suggested some ways one can prevent spyware from their device.

"The best way to control spyware from your device is to prevent it from getting on your computer in the first place,” he said.

However, avoiding programme downloads and email attachments isn’t always an option. Sometimes, even a trusted website can become compromised and infect your computer.

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"As your first line of defence, seek out internet security solutions with reliable antivirus and antimalware detection capabilities, check that they have proactive protection as well,” Niyodusenga said.

"If your computer is already infected, many security providers offer spyware removal utilities like TotalAV to assist in identifying and removing spyware. Be sure to use a reliable internet security provider when choosing a spyware removal tool. Certain utilities can be fraudulent and be spyware themselves.”

According to Kaspersky Lab, some other tips include enabling or downloading a pop-up blocker. Many browsers offer built-in blockers now, but you may want to set the filter on high to prevent anything from slipping in.

Limiting runnable applications to a pre-approved allowlist may be another way to protect yourself. You can control which applications run and what permissions they have. On your admin-level account, set these permissions to always ask you before running or making system modifications.

In addition to this, avoid email links and attachments when possible. As another popular delivery method for malware, links and attachments can carry all kinds of malicious payloads. Even files from trusted senders can be malicious if their accounts have been hacked via phishing.

Preventing spyware from your phone

Here are some other tips on how to protect your phone from spyware:

Stay away from unofficial app stores, third-party app stores, like Amazon Appstore, Huawei AppGallery, Samsung Galaxy Store. They carry many malicious spyware apps. Avoid downloading from these stores to lower your risk of infection.

Only download trusted apps from official app publishers, some spyware masks itself as companion services to other popular apps like Facebook and Gmail. Always read the publisher’s name and verify if they are official or a third-party.

In addition to this, be reserved about giving permissions to apps. Some apps have no clear need for camera and microphone access, or your location data, decide whether your apps need these permissions to give you an ideal user experience.

Do not follow links in text messages, a popular bait method for mobile attackers is to include links in texts to their targets. You’ll be safer by avoiding any links and manually entering URLs into the address bar — after you’ve verified them to be safe.