WHAT IS ADWARE, MALWARE, TRACKWARE, ETC.?
Some consider Adware to be distinct from Spyware, but more and more it is considered a sub-category of Spyware. Adware is “advertising software,” any software that displays ads or facilitates the display of ads on a user’s computer. Often Adware is difficult to remove and may continue to display ads even after it has been uninstalled. Often free downloadable applications like Kazaa, Grokster, and a number of media players are ad-supported, earning revenue by installing Adware on a user’s computer. Malware is any program that is used with the express intent of damaging a PC or network and has no measurable benefits. Trackware, including cookies and data miners, tracks a user’s computer usage and/or Web-searching habits. New “-ware” words are occasionally invented to describe sub-categories of Spyware.
