Cybersecurity Glossary
Spyware
Software that watches what you do and reports it back, usually without any visible sign.
What Spyware means
Spyware records browsing, captures screenshots, harvests contact lists or reads messages. Some arrives bundled with free software; some is installed deliberately by someone with physical access. Commercial stalkerware sold for monitoring family members works the same way and is often used abusively.
Why Spyware matters for small businesses and nonprofits
Spyware rarely damages anything, which is exactly why it goes unnoticed for months. The harm is the slow leak: client lists, pricing, case notes, credentials. In sectors handling sensitive personal information the leak itself is the reportable incident.
What to do about Spyware
- Scan endpoints with tooling that looks for behaviour rather than known files
- Review app permissions on company phones, particularly microphone and location
- Treat any device an ex employee had unsupervised access to as suspect
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