
Password stealers can also steal cookies to enable them to use websites with your ID. Those passwords can include stored web passwords, system logins, or network credentials.

In this article we'll describe the types of spyware you might want to look out for, tell you how to detect them on your computer or smartphone, and show you how to eradicate them. Computers were the original focus for spyware creators, but now spyware can be found taking advantage of vulnerabilities in Android phones, iPhones, and tablets, too. Spyware can be installed on any device - a PC or laptop, a tablet, iPhone, or Android smartphone. And if governments can do it, you can bet criminals everywhere will be trying to get their hands on that functionality. The installed software, like FinFisher, can allow them to snoop on Facebook and Skype, as well as go through your emails. Government agencies are even able to insert spyware via iTunes, according to German magazine Der Spiegel. It's more likely to arrive attached to dodgy downloads or via a phishing attack. If you look carefully, it's probably mentioned in the small print. Spyware can even arrive attached to apparently legitimate programs.

Sometimes it even disguises itself as a file that is innocent and a vital part of your OS. Usually, it does this by attaching itself to your operating system and running in the background as a memory-resident program. Spyware is sneaky, and it's very good at hiding itself.
