What is hardcore spyware?
Hardcore spyware attempts to take control of your computer system and/or personal identity for purposes that are almost never legal. It is comparatively less common, but far more dangerous, than softcore spyware. Examples include keyloggers that capture everything you type and send the records off to remote locations, and Remote Administration Terminals (RATs) that allow remote users to take more-or-less complete control of your computer. As defined here, hardcore spyware includes applications such as Trojans that attempt to take over your computer. Since all such applications share an intent to steal your data and resources, and since they are all for that very reason detected and removed by all the major spyware checkers, the phrase hardcore spyware provides a convenient name for any type of steal-your-resources software that must be removed before you can use your system safely.
