spyware

noun

Software that secretly watches what someone does on a computer and passes the information on to others.

Example sentence

“The security scan found spyware hidden in a free game he had downloaded.”

One of a family of coinages built on 'software': malware, adware, ransomware. All are uncountable.

Related words

virusAn illness caused by an infectious viral agent.malwareComputer programs created to do harm or act against the user's wishes.antivirusA program that finds and removes harmful software such as computer viruses.firmwareSoftware stored permanently inside a device that controls its basic hardware functions.hackerSomeone who breaks into computer systems or networks without permission, often to steal data or cause damage.protocolAn agreed set of rules for sending and receiving data, especially between computers on a network.