Spyware is Illegal Software
Spyware is Illegal Software that is designed to secretly monitor and collect information about a user or device without their consent.
- It runs as programs, scripts, or background processes on your computer, phone, tablet, etc.
- Common functions: logging keystrokes, tracking browsing habits, stealing passwords, recording webcam/microphone activity, taking screenshots, or sending data to a remote server.
Examples of spyware
- Adware that tracks your web activity (e.g., some browser extensions)
- Keyloggers (software versions)
- Trojan horses that install monitoring tools
- Mobile spyware (e.g., apps that secretly track location, calls, messages)
- Government or commercial surveillance tools like Pegasus (which is software)
Hardware spying tools exist (e.g., a physical USB device that records every keystroke), but they are typically called hardware keyloggers, surveillance devices, or implants — not spyware. The term “spyware” is almost always reserved for software.
If someone installs spyware on your device, it’s almost always through software (downloaded apps, infected email attachments, fake updates, etc.).