Spyware is malicious software that works quietly in the background, tracking almost everything you do. These sneaky downloads leave digital clues if you know what to look for.
Task Manager on a Windows PC and Activity Monitor on a Mac can give you an overview of everything happening on your machine.
If you use a PC:
• Open the Task Manager by hitting Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Under the Processes tab, you’ll see the apps and background processes running on your PC.
Look through the list. If you see a name you don’t recognize, search for it online to see what turns up. Sometimes, these programs and background processes are legitimate and of no concern, even if you don’t know the name at first glance.
To close out an app or process, right-click and hit End task. Check again later to see if it is working again.
If you use a Mac:
• To open the Activity Monitor, hit Command + Spacebar to open Spotlight Search. Then, type Activity Monitor and press Enter. Check over the list for anything you don’t recognize.
Double-click to close out a program or process, then hit Quit.