Spyware is not likely to result in a computer virus infection but it is another way your privacy may be put at risk when you use the internet. Some spyware packages can install other applications which can degrade the performance of your computer and piggyback other dangerous software onto your machine.
Some of the items spyware may record with regards to a users online activities can be browsing and downloading habits, recording which sites you visit and when. This can then be used to display contextual advertising on your machine. It can in some cases also pick up keystrokes and record passwords and usernames for the web sites you visit. This information can then be transferred to an external source.
The most worrying detail in this is that the user does not know what is happening in most cases. Most spyware that is being used for malicious purposes will not give the game away by slowing your pc down, displaying banner adverts or other signs that you may be infected.
If personal information is divulged to an external source then this can open the door to a host of other types of criminal activity such as identity theft or fraud. You should protect yourself and your computer by installing some software to monitor your pc and check for malware threats so you will never be left asking "how do I remove a virus from my computer?".
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