http://www.bbc.co.

uk/webwise/guides/aboutspyware
Programsthatsecretlyrecordwhatyoudoonyourcomputerarecalledspyware.They
canbeusedforsomeperfectlylegitimatepurposes,butthemajorityofspywareis
malicious.Itsaimisusuallytocapturepasswords,bankingcredentialsandcreditcard
detailsandsendthemovertheinternettofraudsters.
WebWiseTeam
|10thOctober2012

Spywareisthegenericnamewegivetoprogramsthatcontainadditionalfunctionality
designedtosecretlymonitoryouractivitiesonyourcomputer.
Theaimofspyware
Someoftheearliestspywaredidlittlemorethanreporttotheauthorseachtimethe
programwasused.Itwasintendedasamarketingaidortomonitorusageforlicensing
purposes.
Thatstillgoeson,butalotofspywarenowadaysisdesignedtostealconfidential
informationusernamesandpasswordsforbankingsites,emailaccounts,social
networkingsitesandonlinegames.
Youmayneverknowyouhavemaliciousspywareonyourcomputer,asittendstowork
quietlyinthebackgroundandtheovertfunctionalityandqualityoftheprogrammaybe
veryappealing
http://news.cnet.com/CourtWifebrokelawwithspyware/21001030_35577979.htm
l

Court:Wifebrokelawwithspyware

By
Declan McCullagh
December21,2004

Awifewhoinstalledspywareonherhusband'scomputertosecretlyrecord
evidenceofanextramaritalaffairviolatedstatelaw,aFloridacourtruledFriday.
TheFloridaAppealsCourt,FifthDistrictsaidthatBeverlyAnnO'Brien"illegally
obtained"recordsofhusbandJames'onlineconversationswithanotherwomanasthe
twoplayedYahooDominoestogether.
"Itisillegalandpunishableasacrimeunder(statelaw)tointerceptelectronic
communications,"wroteJudgeDonaldGrincewiczonbehalfofathreejudgepanel.
HeandthetwootherjudgesbarredBeverlyO'Brienfromrevealingthecontentsofthe
interceptedconversations,andsaidthechatrecordscouldnotbeintroducedas
evidenceintheunhappycouple'sdivorceproceedings.
TheFloridacasehighlightsgrowingsocialfrictionovertheuseofclandestineelectronic
monitoringsoftware,whichhasbecomemorewidespreadinthelastfewyears.
Businessesmaymonitoremployees'emailandinstantmessagingconversations,and
theFBIhasusedakeyloggertosnarepasswordstypedinbyanallegedmobster.
SomeInternetdistributedmalwareprogramscanlogpasswords,accountnumbersand
othersensitiveinformation.
Atissueinthiscasewaswhethertheuseofthespyware,calledSpector,violated
Florida'swiretappinglaw.Thelawsaysanyonewho"intentionallyintercepts"any
"electroniccommunication"commitsacriminalact.(Thecasewasacivillawsuitarising
outofthedivorceproceeding,notacriminalprosecution.)
BeverlyO'Brien'slawyersarguedthatthemonitoringdidn'tfallunderthelaw's
prohibitionsandwaskintoreadingastoredfileonherhusband'scomputerwhich
wouldnotbetreatedaswiretapping.
ButGrincewiczconcludedthat"becausethespywareinstalledbythewifeintercepted
theelectroniccommunicationcontemporaneouslywithtransmission,copieditand
routedthecopytoafileinthecomputer'sharddrive,theelectroniccommunications
wereinterceptedinviolationoftheFloridaAct."


http://www.spamlaws.com/spywarelaws.html

SpywareandtheLaw
Attempting orgainingaccess tosomeone's computer withouttheirconsent orknowledgeiscriminallyillegal
accordingtocomputercrimelaws,suchastheUnitedStatesComputer Fraud andAbuseActand theUnited
Kingdom'sComputerMisuseAct.
Does this mean that
spyware is illegal? Not necessarily. Thoughlaw enforcement has often pursued the
creators ofmalwarelike viruses, spywaredevelopers have been largelyunprosecutedundercriminallaw,
though they occasionally do face lawsuits. Many spyware companies even operate as legitimate
businesses.
Spyware creators remain largely untouched because of the way spyware generally finds itself on your
computer. Though many people claim that they never authorized spyware access to their computer,
spyware developers claim otherwise. Spyware that comes with the software that people download is
normally mentionedinthe licenseagreementthatusersmustclick consenttobeforeinstallation.Mostusers
ignore this agreement and justclick"Yes"or"Agree"toproceedwiththeinstallation,and userswhodoread
the agreement maynotunderstanditsimplications. However,spywareproducers arguethatthisisalegally
binding contract, and when someone clicks consent to the license agreement they are consenting tothe
spyware. Hence,thespywaredoesnotexistonpeople'scomputerswithouttheirconsent,whethertheyread
the license agreementornot,anditis therefore notviolatinganylaws.Spywaremaybeannoying,butgiven
that you clicked in agreement to a license in which it was mentioned, spyware producers argue that its
existenceonyourcomputerisyourownfault,anditisnotagainstthelaw.
Despite this,someforms ofspywareareagainstthelawforinstance,spywarethatisnotmentioned inany
sort of consent form upon installation. The U.S. states of Washington and Iowa have also passed laws
criminalizing certain forms of spyware. These laws make it illegal for anyone other than the owner or
operator of a computer to install software that monitors web browser settings, monitors keystrokes, or
disablessecuritysoftware.SeveralbillshavebeenvotedonintheUnitedStatesCongressincludingtheSpy
BlockAct (Software Principles YieldingBetter Levels ofConsumerKnowledge) and the SPY Act(Securely
Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass), both passed in 2004, and the ISPY Act (Internet Spyware
Prevention) passed in 2005 and reintroduced in 2007. These bills impose penalties and punishmentsthe
producers of spyware. They make it illegal tohijack control of a user's computer, expose users topopup

ads that can't be closed, modify a user's personal settings, ordownloadpersonal informationwithoutthe
user'sconsent.

http://www.planetcreation.co.uk/satgps/PhoneTrackingRelationships.htm

ItisnotuncommonforpeopletobuySpywaretoinstallintheirspousesmobilephone.
Thissocalled"Spyware"(orSpywaresystem),allowsathirdparty(i.e.you)tolistento
conversations(remotely)ofthepersonyouwanttomonitor,transferringthecalltoa
telephone"master",i.e.thephonethatremotelymanagesthesoftware(inotherwords,your
phone)
Thebiggestproblemwiththisphonetrackingsoftwareisgettingitinstalledonyour
spousesphoneandmakingsureitishiddensothatheorshecannotfindtheprogramon
his/herphone.Thismayinvolvehidingthephonesothathe/shegoestoworkwithoutit,or
simplyinstallingthesoftwarewhenhe/sheisasleep.
ThisSpywareissecretlyinstalledonthephonetobemonitored,itiscompletely
invisible,andinformsyouimmediatelyviaSMSwhenyourunfaithfulspouseisengagedina
conversation.Atthispoint,withasimplecall,youcanjointheconversationandlistentothe
conversationsofthefaithlesscoupleincompletesecrecy.Itdoesnotendthere,becauseyou
willalsoreceiveacopyofallmessages,bothincomingandoutgoing.Inaddition,itcanbe
programmedremotelysoyoudonothavetobeclosetoyourunfaithfulspousetochecktheir
messages,youcaneasilyspyonhim/herbySMSmessage.

Inadditiontoalltheseexcitingphonetrackingfeatures,therearemobilephone
spyingprogramsthatgiveyouthechancetospyonyourcheatingspouseevenwhenthe
phoneitselfisturnedoff.Theseprogramsarequitesophisticatedandturnthephoneintoa
mobileaudiobug.Theprogramkeepsthephoneactivesothatitcanstartintercepting
conversationsaroundyourspouseatyourcommand.Ifyourspouseissupposedtobeina
meetingat6pm,youmayinitializethebugprogramandlistentowhatisbeingsaidinhis
proximity.
Mobiletrackingtechnologyisdangerous,anditisillegalinsomestates.Partofthe
problemisthatsomepeoplearesodamagedbypreviousrelationshipsthattheyareproneto
severejealousyandinsecurity.Thissortoftrackingtechnologymayhelptoreassurethat
personoftheirpartnersfidelity.Ontheotherhand,apersonwhoisseverelyinsecurewillsee
misdeedswhereonlyinnocenceexists,andtrackingsoftwarewillprovideevenmore

questionmarksthathejealouspersoncanturnintoaccusations.Oneshouldalsoremember
thatsecretsarepartofahealthyrelationship,soistrustandforgivenessformistakes.
Phonetracking
canbeverygoodforusewhencheckinguponapersonsfidelity,but
alsobeawareofthedevastatingeffectitcanhaveonarelationshipifyouarecaught
monitoringapersonsphone.Thebreachoftrustmaybeasinsurmountableasifyouhad
foundyourspousecheatingonyou.
Phonetrackingmayhelpyouseewhereyourspouseis,andSpywaremayhelpyou
findoutwhattheysay,butifitcomestothepointofneedingSpyware/trackingsoftware,is
yourrelationshipreallythatstrong?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robertsiciliano/relationshipsdoyouspy_b_581855.html

Relationships: Do You Spy on Your Spouse?

Posted:05/21/20101:08pmEDTbyRobertSiciliano

Firstletmesaythis:generallyspeaking,spyingisn'tnecessaryintrustingrelationships.I'm
surethepartnersofSandraBullockorTigerWoodsdidn'tthinktheyneededtospyontheir
partners,untiltheydid.
Thesadfactisthathumanshaveatendencytolie.Lyingisgenerallydonetoprotectpeople
fromtheconsequencesoftheiractions,ortoprotectothersfromtheemotionalhurtbecause
ofwhattheydid.
Spyinggenerallyoccurswhentrustisbrokenorintuitionkicksinandsomeonesenses
somethingisaskew.It'seasiertospytodaythaneverbefore.Accordingtoa
study
polling
1,000menandwomenofvariousages,incomes,andlocationsintheUnitedStates,there'sa
38percentchanceyouwillspyifyou're25oryounger.
Among
respondents
,38percentofthose25yearsoldoryoungeradmittedtosnoopingon
theirboyfriend'sorgirlfriend'smessages,and36percentofthosewhoaremarriedadmitted
tocheckingtheirspouse'semailorcallhistory.
Spyingcanbeaccomplishedbysimplypickingupaphoneandlookingattheincomingand
outgoingcallsandtextmessages.Mobilephonespywareisreadilyavailableandcanmonitor
almosteveryaspectofaphonesuseremotely.

Smallwirelesscamerasinstalledinlighters,pens,clocks,smokedetectorsandjustabout
anythingelsearereadilyavailable.Commerciallyavailablespywarecaneasilybeinstalledon
apersonalcomputer.Undetectablehardwarecalled"keycatchers"canbeinstalledinthe
PS2orUSBports,andaspycanmonitoryoureverymove.
Identitythievesareusingtheexactsametechnologies.
Investinginaprotectionsystem,suchastheInteliusidentitytheftprotectionsystem,canhelp
youprotectyourselffromspying.Notallformsofidentitytheftcanbeprevented,butidentity
theftprotectionservicescandramaticallyreduceyourrisk.
women.asiaone.com/women/relationships/husbandgetsprivateinvestigatorplantspyware

Husbandgetsprivateinvestigatortoplantspyware
JaniceTai
TheStraitsTimes
Tuesday,Sep23,2014

SINGAPOREAnursewhofiledfordivorcewasshockedwhenhertechnicianhusbandfiled
acounterclaimaccusingherofhavinganaffair.
Grace(notherrealname),42,haddecidedondivorceafterputtingupwithyearsofher
husbandcominghomedrunk,andgettingverballyabusive.
Herlawyer,MsGloriaJamesCivetta,saidthehusbandproducedincourtemailthatGrace
hadsenttothemanandphotographsofthetwotogether.
Grace,whodeniedtherelationship,said:"Iwassosurprisedthathehadthosematerials
becausewesleptseparatelyafterourmarriageturnedrocky,andmycomputerwasinmy
room."
Shefoundoutduringmediationthatherhusbandhadhiredaprivateinvestigator,whomade
atleasttwovisitstotheirfiveroomflatinAngMoKiotoplantspywareinhercomputerwhile
shewasatwork.

Thebugenabledhimtoreceiveacopyofeveryemailshesentandretrieveinformation
storedinthedesktop.
MsJamesCivettaobjectedtotheuseofthisevidenceincourt.Theemailandphotoswere
notallowedtobeadmitted,asherhusbandfailedtotellthecourthowhehadobtainedthe
information.
GracewasgrantedadivorceinOctoberlastyearonthegroundsofherhusband's
unreasonablebehaviour.
"Whilethisisasimplercasewherethecouplearesimplyfightingoverthegroundsofdivorce
tosaveface,thestakescouldbemuchhigherifassetsorcustodyofchildrenisinvolved,"
saidMsJamesCivetta.
"Thatiswhysomespousesmayturndesperateandresorttoillegalwaysofgainingtheupper
hand.
http://lovegoodbadugly.com/snooping/

Is it ok to snoop?
DECEMBER 1, 2009

ManyofusfindittemptingtocheckuponwhataBForGFisupto.
Butweallhavearighttoprivacyandindependenceinarelationshiptohaveourown
thoughts,secretfantasies,privatejokes,personalspace,andourowncommunicationwith
friendsandfamily.
Noonelikesthefeelingthatsomeonesalwayslookingoverourshoulder.
Itfeelsinvasiveanditdamagestrust.

Thedesiretosnoopandspycancomefrom:
curiosity
beingworriedaboutaBForGFcheatingonyou

 thedesiretocontrolaBForGFandtoknoweverymovetheymake
wantingtomakeaBForGFfeelnervousandpowerless,liketheyrebeingwatched

Are you tempted to snoop?

Think about why
Youmightbetemptedtosnoopoutofcuriosity,orifyourefeelingabitinsecureabouthow
yourBF/GFfeelsaboutyou.Ifyouresnoopingbecauseyoureworriedaboutyour
relationshipandwonderingifyourBF/GFischeatingonyou,thenconsiderwhethersneaking
aroundisgoingtogetyouwhatyouwant.

Youll probably find stuffand youll wish you hadnt

Youmightfindoutthingsyoureallydontwanttoknowlikemaybetheyhaveaharmless
crushonsomeoneelse.Orjustprivate,personalstuffthatyoudidntneedtoknow.Butnow
youdo.
Iftheyrestillinlovewithyouandhavenointentionofleavingyou,doyoureallywantto
snoop?Andthenifyoufeelupsetaboutwhatyoufindandwanttotalktothemaboutit,youll
havetotellthemhowyoufoundoutandthiswonthelpyoutohaveatrustingrelationship.
Theymightthenfeeljustifiedinsnoopingon
you
!
Whateveryoufindordontfind,itsanowinsituationforyourrelationship.Snoopingisntthe
waytogo.

Talk instead
Ifyouarefeelinginsecureabouttherelationship,abetterwaytogoisto
talktothem
about
howyoufeel,whatyoureworriedaboutandtheimportanceofhonesty.

If someone is snooping on you

Tell them to stop
Ifitsyourboyfriendorgirlfriend,tellthemclearlynottodoit.Forexample,youcouldsayI
dontwantyoutodothatitsprivateandIdontlikefeelingthatyourecheckinguponme.
Youhavearighttoprivacyanddoingthatkindastuffisnotrespect!

Talk to them about why they did it

Iftheysaytheyredoingitbecausetheyreworriedyourecheatingonthem,soundslikeits
timetohaveatalktothemabouthowyoufeelaboutyourrelationship,andtheimportanceof
trust.Reassurethemthatifyoureseriouslyinterestedinsomeoneelse,youwilltalktothem
aboutit.Tellthemthattheyreinvadingyourprivacybyreadingyouremailsormessages,and
thatitsnotok.Remindthemthatyouhavearighttoemail,chatormessageotherpeople
withoutthemcheckinguponyou.

Are they jealous?

Aretheyusingjealousyasawayofcontrollingyou?

Did they stop?

Iftheydontrespectyourrighttoprivacy,oriftheyalwayswanttoknowwhatyouredoing
andwhoyouretalkingto,thiscouldbeasignofabuse.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/relationshipwarsfeudingcouplesspygadgetssnoop/story?id=16
323786

RelationshipWars:FeudingCouplesUseSpyGadgetstoSnoop
May14,2012
By
JIMAVILA
,ROXANNASHERWOODand
MELIAPATR

Allisfairinloveandwar,andthespyshophasbecomeAmerica'snewrelationshipweapon.

Feudingcouplesareusingspytechnology,fromphonetrackingandGPStohiddencameras
andmicrophones,tosecretlyrecordtheirpartner'smovements.Sometrytousetheevidence
indivorcecourtproceedingstogetcustodyofchildren.
Divorceattorneyssaythey'veseenanincreaseintheroleelectronicdataandsocial
networkingsitesplayindivorces,accordingtotheAmericanAcademyofMatrimonial
Lawyers.
Brian,afatherinTexaswhoaskedthathislastnamenotbeused,saidhemadeashocking
discoveryonarecentvisitationwithhisyoungson.Brianclaimedhisexwife,Allison,stitched
atinytaperecorderintotheirson'sjeansandwasusingtheboytospyonhim.
"Mysontoldme,'Dad,Momhasalltheserecordingsofusinsidethehouse.'Isaid,'whatdo
youmean?'"Briansaid."'Shehasalltheserecordingsandshelistenstothematnight.'AndI
pulledmysonclosetomeandpattedhimdown,andthat'swhenIfoundtherecorder."
Brianmadeavideorecordingofhisown,showingwhathesaidwasdocumentationofthe
momenthefoundtherecorderhiswifehadplanted.Hisattorneyhassincefiledacomplaintin
districtcourt,allegingviolationofwiretappinglaws.Inresponse,Brian'sexwifetoldABC
News,"Theallegationofwiretappingisinaccurateandisintheprocessofbeingdismissed
throughanagreementbetweenheandI."
Herattorneyadded,"Brianisathreetimeconvictedfelon.Heiscurrentlyonparole...His
federallawsuitisnothingmorethantryingtogaintheupperhandinthefamilycourt."
BriantoldABCNewsthatthechargesareoldanddon'treflectonhisparentingability.
Oneoftheprimaryreasonsdoityourselfsnoopinghasbecomemorewidespreadisbecause
itisrelativelycheapandeasy.Surveillanceequipmentcancostlessthan$300,andspygear
thatcan'tbefoundinastorecanbeboughtonline.Somerecordingdevicesaresmallenough
tobemountedonakeychain,amotelroompeephole,eyeglasses,pensoreveninsidea
child'sfavoritetoy.

"Theonethingthat'sexchangedbetweenthewarringpartiesisthechild,Sothechild
becomes,ineffect,somesortofTrojanhorse."saidJohnKinney,adivorceattorneywhohas
workedonanumberofhightechcases.
DukeLewtonhasbeenontheotherendofthosedevicesinaviciousbattleoverhis
7yearolddaughter,whosemotherriggedherteddybearwithamicrophoneandtoldherto
carryitatalltimes.
"[She]removedafewstitches,placedarecordingdeviceinsideofthelittlebear'shead,and
thenyoucouldaccessaUSBportonthesideofthehead...anddownloadallofour
conversationsthatwehadhadthroughtheweekend,"LewtontoldABCNews.
Lewton'swifewasfined$10,000forviolatingwiretappinglawsandthetapeswerethrownout
ofcourt.
Butthelawismurky.In38states,itislegaltosecretlyrecordinapublicplace.Federal
wiretappinglawsprotecttheprivacyofyourcellphoneconversationandyourcomputer,and
mostofthetime,judgesdon'tallowit.
"Theemotionsgetsoheatedthatpeoplewilldoalmostanythingtogetanedge,"Kinneysaid.
"Ifnewtechnologyprovidesavenuesforcollection[of]whateverevidencethatalitigantmight
thinkisoutthere,they'llstopatnothingtogettheevidencethattheythinktheywant."
Andit'snotjustsparringspousesthatareusingspytechnology.Thereisprenuptialsnooping
too.
MachellRussellhadbeenlivingwithherboyfriendMarcusEliasforthreeyearswhenshe
startedtosuspecthewasbeingunfaithful.
"Hewastellingmeheneededtoworklatealot,youknow,andkindofrushingmeoffthe
phonewhenIwouldcallhimwhileI'mawayonbusiness,"shesaid."AndI'mlike,'That's
weird,'youknow?"