What is the difference between Spyware and Adware?

Spyware is a program that monitors or spies on what computer users do on their computers. They then send the information that is gathered over the internet back to companies. The companies then bombard computers with advertisements.

Adware is a program that monitors or spies on what computer users do on their computers. They then automatically install advertisements onto the computer.

Spyware and adware are similar indeed. The only difference between the two is that adware does not report to the company, instead, it bypasses that and automatically loads the ads onto the computer.

The more adware or spyware that is loaded onto the computer, the longer it takes for the machine to go through its start-up process. New toolbars appear in the browser. The homepage is changed and cannot be changed back. Pop-ups will not go away when the computer is running. It can slow your machine and your level of productivity down.

While you may not realize spyware has been installed on your computer, there are some signs to look for. If you notice any changes to your Web browser that you did not make — such as extra toolbars or different homepage settings — as well as changes to your security settings and favorites list, you could have spyware running on your system.