Malware
Spyware
Also known as: Spy software, Stalkerware
Definition
Malware that secretly collects information about a user, device, or organization and sends it to an external party.
Examples
- Pegasus, a commercial mobile spyware platform used to target journalists.
- FinFisher (FinSpy), a government-grade surveillance toolkit.
Related terms
Keylogger
Software or hardware that records the keystrokes a user types, used to steal passwords, financial data, or messages.
Screen Scraper
Malware or surveillance code that captures images of a victim's screen or extracts text from it to harvest data displayed on-screen.
Trackware
Software that monitors and reports on user activity — sites visited, apps used, keystrokes, or location — typically for advertising, analytics, or stalking.
Info Stealer
Malware that harvests credentials, cookies, tokens, crypto wallets, and other sensitive data from an infected device and exfiltrates it to the attacker.
Mobile Malware
Malicious software that targets smartphones and tablets to steal data, intercept communications, mine cryptocurrency, or perform financial fraud.
Malware
Any software intentionally designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to computers, networks, or data.