Spyware and Bloatware

Malicious software that is designed to gather and send information about a user or organization without their knowledge
- From browsing data to sensitive data
Spyware can get installed on a system in several different ways
- Bundled with other software
- Installed through a malicious website
- Installed when users click on a deceptive pop-up advertisement
Once installed it operates in the background
It can also significantly slow down your system performance because it is continuously using system resources to moderate and transmit data back to the attacker
To help protect yourself against spyware, you should only use reputable antivirus and anti-spyware tools that are regularly updated detect and remove any potential threats
- Only download software from trusted sources
- Read through the End-User Licensing Agreement (EULA)
- Make sure your OS is up to date and patched with the latest security updates

Any software that comes pre-installed on a new computer or smartphone that you, as the user, did not specifically request, want, or need
Other examples of bloatware are things like unnecessary toolbars or applications that promote certain services
Bloatware isn’t malicious, but it can
- waste your storage space
- slow down the performance of your devices
- introduce security vulnerabilities into your systems
  - All that extra code could have vulnerabilities/exploitable bugs
Remember, anytime a piece of software is installed, that is one more potential threat vector for an attacker to exploit if you don’t properly update that application
- Remove any extra software or application that are not being used on a daily basis
To remove bloatware, you can either do the following
- Do a manual removal process
  - Got to the Programs and features section
  - Navigate to the apps section and uninstalled any unwanted applications
- Use bloatware removal tools to uninstall the unwanted applications
  - There are several third-party apps to do this
- Perform a clean operating system installation
  - Ensures you will be starting up with the software you need to start your system