: software that is installed in a computer or mobile device without the user's knowledge and that transmits information about the user's activities
Jan should scan her computer for viruses, worms, and spyware …—
Kenneth Baldauf and Ralph Stair
Kenneth Baldauf and Ralph StairSmartphones belonging to more than three dozen journalists, human rights activists, and business executives have been infected with powerful spyware that an Israeli firm sells, purportedly to catch terrorists and criminals, The Washington Post and other publications reported.—Dan Goodin
Dan GoodinExamples of spyware in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Some recent cases highlight how messy and dangerous this space has become:
The NSO Group Spyware Case – The Israeli firm NSO Group, known for its Pegasus spyware, initially marketed its tools for government intelligence operations.
—Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
WhatsApp says the spyware’s capabilities included siphoning user messages and other data stored on the device.
—Michael Kan, PCMAG, 31 Jan. 2025
Phishing emails, malware-laden attachments and fraudulent schemes now lurk within spam messages, tricking unsuspecting users into clicking malicious links, revealing sensitive information or even infecting their devices with ransomware and spyware.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 23 Feb. 2025
The spokesperson said that the company’s security team and Citizen Lab, a cybersecurity research lab based out of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, helped track the spyware campaign.
—Bruna Horvath, NBC News, 31 Jan. 2025
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Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
WhatsApp says the spyware’s capabilities included siphoning user messages and other data stored on the device.
—Michael Kan, PCMAG, 31 Jan. 2025
Phishing emails, malware-laden attachments and fraudulent schemes now lurk within spam messages, tricking unsuspecting users into clicking malicious links, revealing sensitive information or even infecting their devices with ransomware and spyware.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 23 Feb. 2025
The spokesperson said that the company’s security team and Citizen Lab, a cybersecurity research lab based out of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, helped track the spyware campaign.
—Bruna Horvath, NBC News, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spyware
Cite this Entry
“Spyware.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spyware. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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