Identity Theft and Spyware- The New Threat

Identity Theft and Spyware- The New Threat:
"Obviously one of the latest and most dangerous threats to privacy in the digital age lies at the doorstep of spyware. Spyware can be used to surreptitiously gather all types of confidential information and in most cases the user has no idea the information is being taken. This form of “snoopware” lets the spy access everything you do online including usernames, passwords, online shopping purchases and e-mail or chat correspondence. In the hands of an identity thief this type of information is a deadly treasure trove.

Many of today’s most popular spyware applications promise the ability to execute via “remote installation”. Remote installation is the ability to put a spyware program on a computer without having physical access to the machine. Obviously this is crossing a thin line into illegal behavior and this type of software should be classified as a Trojan horse. Nevertheless, these programs are sold every day to consumers who want to monitor their kids, employees, or spouse and perhaps to people that have more nefarious purposes in mind. While there are certainly legitimate uses for monitoring software we find it hard to believe there is any legitimate scenario where a parent or employer would need to use remote installation to install a monitoring program. Make no mistake that spyware can certainly be used to illegally obtain your personal information"

http://www.spywareguide.com/articles/identity-theft.html