spyware

[ spahy-wair ]
/ ˈspaɪˌwɛər /

noun

Computers. software that is installed surreptitiously and gathers information about an Internet user's browsing habits, intercepts the user's personal data, etc., transmitting this information to a third party: a parent's use of spyware to monitor a child's online activities.
tools that are used to conduct espionage: The nation's sophisticated spyware rivals that of the CIA.

Origin of spyware

Example sentences from the Web for spyware

British Dictionary definitions for spyware

spyware
/ (ˈspaɪˌwɛə) /

noun

computing software installed via the internet on a computer without the user's knowledge and used to send information about the user to another computer