Editing Spyware (section)

==Applications==

==="Stealware" and affiliate fraud===
A few spyware vendors, notably [[180 Solutions]], have written what the ''[[New York Times]]'' has dubbed "[[stealware]]", and what spyware researcher [[Ben Edelman]] terms ''affiliate fraud'', a form of [[click fraud]]. Stealware diverts the payment of [[affiliate marketing]] revenues from the legitimate affiliate to the spyware vendor.

Spyware which attacks [[affiliate network]]s places the spyware operator's affiliate tag on the user's activity – replacing any other tag, if there is one. The spyware operator is the only party that gains from this. The user has their choices thwarted, a legitimate affiliate loses revenue, networks' reputations are injured, and vendors are harmed by having to pay out affiliate revenues to an "affiliate" who is not party to a contract.<ref name="edelman-180">Edelman, Ben (2004). "[http://www.benedelman.org/spyware/180-affiliates/ The Effect of 180solutions on Affiliate Commissions and Merchants] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706160627/http://www.benedelman.org/spyware/180-affiliates/ |date=July 6, 2010 }}". ''Benedelman.org''. Retrieved November 14, 2006.</ref> [[Click fraud|Affiliate fraud]] is a violation of the [[terms of service]] of most affiliate marketing networks. Mobile devices can also be vulnerable to [[chargeware]], which manipulates users into illegitimate mobile charges.

===Identity theft and fraud===
In one case, spyware has been closely associated with [[identity theft]].<ref>Ecker, Clint (2005). ''[https://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20050805-5175.html Massive spyware-based identity theft ring uncovered] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916224826/http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20050805-5175.html |date=September 16, 2008 }}''. Ars Technica, August 5, 2005.</ref> In August 2005, researchers from security software firm Sunbelt Software suspected the creators of the common CoolWebSearch spyware had used it to transmit "[[Internet chat room|chat sessions]], [[user name]]s, [[password]]s, bank information, etc.";<ref>Eckelberry, Alex. [http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2005/08/massive-identity-theft-ring.html "Massive identity theft ring"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511143508/http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2005/08/massive-identity-theft-ring.html |date=May 11, 2011 }}, ''SunbeltBLOG,'' August 4, 2005.</ref> however it turned out that "it actually (was) its own sophisticated criminal little trojan that's independent of CWS."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Alex|first1=Eckelberry|title=Identity Theft? What to do?|url=http://sunbeltblog.eckelberry.com/identity-theft-what-to-do/|website=The Legacy Sunbelt Software Blog|language=en|date=9 August 2005|access-date=March 19, 2018|archive-date=March 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319151308/http://sunbeltblog.eckelberry.com/identity-theft-what-to-do/|url-status=live}}</ref> This case was investigated by the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]].

The [[Federal Trade Commission]] estimates that 27.3&nbsp;million Americans have been victims of identity theft, and that financial losses from identity theft totaled nearly $48&nbsp;billion for businesses and financial institutions and at least $5&nbsp;billion in out-of-pocket expenses for individuals.<ref>[http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2003/09/idtheft.htm FTC Releases Survey of Identity Theft in U.S. 27.3 Million Victims in Past 5 Years, Billions in Losses for Businesses and Consumers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080518105037/http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2003/09/idtheft.htm |date=May 18, 2008 }}. Federal Trade Commission, September 3, 2003.</ref>

===Digital rights management===
Some copy-protection technologies have borrowed from spyware. In 2005, [[Sony BMG Music Entertainment]] was [[Sony BMG CD copy protection scandal|found to be using]] [[rootkit]]s in its [[Extended Copy Protection|XCP]] [[digital rights management]] technology<ref name="Sony scandal">Russinovich, Mark. [http://blogs.technet.com/markrussinovich/archive/2005/10/31/sony-rootkits-and-digital-rights-management-gone-too-far.aspx "Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100428161458/http://blogs.technet.com/markrussinovich/archive/2005/10/31/sony-rootkits-and-digital-rights-management-gone-too-far.aspx |date=April 28, 2010 }}, ''Mark's Blog,'' October 31, 2005. Retrieved November 22, 2006.</ref> Like spyware, not only was it difficult to detect and uninstall, it was so poorly written that most efforts to remove it could have rendered computers unable to function.
[[Texas Attorney General]] [[Greg Abbott]] filed suit,<ref name="Texas AG lawsuit">Press release from the Texas Attorney General's office, November 21, 2005; [http://www.oag.state.tx.us/oagnews/release.php?id=1266 Attorney General Abbott Brings First Enforcement Action In Nation Against Sony BMG For Spyware Violations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725211827/http://www.oag.state.tx.us/oagnews/release.php?id=1266 |date=July 25, 2010 }}. Retrieved November 28, 2006.</ref> and three separate [[class-action]] suits were filed.<ref name="class-action suits">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4424254.stm "Sony sued over copy-protected CDs; Sony BMG is facing three lawsuits over its controversial anti-piracy software"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090530180551/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4424254.stm |date=May 30, 2009 }}, ''BBC News,'' November 10, 2005. Retrieved November 22, 2006.</ref> Sony BMG later provided a workaround on its website to help users remove it.<ref name="Sony workaround">[https://web.archive.org/web/20061201162533/http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/updates.html Information About XCP Protected CDs]. Retrieved November 29, 2006.</ref>

Beginning on April 25, 2006, Microsoft's [[Windows Genuine Advantage]] Notifications application<ref>{{cite web |url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/905474/ |website=Microsoft Support |title=Description of the Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications application |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100618060054/http://support.microsoft.com/kb/905474 |archive-date=June 18, 2010 |access-date=June 13, 2006}}</ref> was installed on most Windows PCs as a "critical security update". While the main purpose of this deliberately uninstallable application is to ensure the copy of Windows on the machine was lawfully purchased and installed, it also installs software that has been accused of "[[phoning home]]" on a daily basis, like spyware.<ref>Weinstein, Lauren. [http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000178.html Windows XP update may be classified as 'spyware'] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120709231348/http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000178.html |date=July 9, 2012 }}, ''Lauren Weinstein's Blog,'' June 5, 2006. Retrieved June 13, 2006.</ref><ref>Evers, Joris. [http://news.cnet.com/Microsofts-antipiracy-tool-phones-home-daily/2100-1016_3-6081286.html Microsoft's antipiracy tool phones home daily] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120828151942/http://news.cnet.com/Microsofts-antipiracy-tool-phones-home-daily/2100-1016_3-6081286.html |date=August 28, 2012 }}, ''CNET,'' June 7, 2006. Retrieved August 31, 2014.</ref> It can be removed with the RemoveWGA tool.

===Personal relationships===
[[Stalkerware]] is spyware that has been used to monitor electronic activities of partners in intimate relationships. At least one software package, Loverspy, was specifically marketed for this purpose. Depending on local laws regarding communal/marital property, observing a partner's online activity without their consent may be illegal; the author of Loverspy and several users of the product were indicted in California in 2005 on charges of wiretapping and various computer crimes.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.justice.gov/criminal/cybercrime/press-releases/2005/perezIndict.htm |title=Creator and Four Users of Loverspy Spyware Program Indicted |publisher=Department of Justice |date=August 26, 2005 |access-date=November 21, 2014 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131119022244/https://www.justice.gov/criminal/cybercrime/press-releases/2005/perezIndict.htm |archive-date=November 19, 2013 }}</ref>

===Browser cookies===
Anti-spyware programs often report Web advertisers' [[HTTP cookie]]s, the small text files that track browsing activity, as spyware. While they are not always inherently malicious, many users object to third parties using space on their personal computers for their business purposes, and many anti-spyware programs offer to remove them.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2006-080217-3524-99 |title=Tracking Cookie |publisher=Symantec |access-date=2013-04-28 |archive-date=January 6, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106024403/http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2006-080217-3524-99 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Shameware ===
Shameware or "[[accountability software]]" is a type of spyware that is not hidden from the user, but operates with their knowledge, if not necessarily their consent. Parents, religious leaders or other authority figures may require their children or congregation members to install such software, which is intended to detect the viewing of [[pornography]] or other content deemed inappropriate, and to report it to the authority figure, who may then confront the user about it.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Mehrotra |first=Dhruv |title=The Ungodly Surveillance of Anti-Porn 'Shameware' Apps |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/story/covenant-eyes-anti-porn-accountability-monitoring-apps/ |access-date=2022-09-22 |issn=1059-1028}}</ref>