Information Technology Specialist (ITS) Cybersecurity 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Spyware is specifically designed to gather data from a target computer without the user's consent or knowledge. This type of malware operates discreetly, often running in the background while collecting sensitive information such as login credentials, financial information, and browsing habits. The data collected is then transmitted back to the attackers, who can use it for various malicious purposes, including identity theft or financial fraud.

In contrast, rootkits are primarily focused on gaining unauthorized access to a system and maintaining control over it, often without the user's awareness. Ransomware encrypts a victim's data and demands payment for its release, while adware typically serves to display advertisements, often unwanted, and may track user behavior but is not specifically designed to gather confidential data for malicious purposes. Thus, spyware stands out as the malware category most directly associated with secretly collecting data and sending it back to the attackers.