n your computer, perhaps checking your bank account online, logging in to check email or other password protected sites. Once your keystrokes are captured, this informIf you've ever had to deal with spyware on your computer, you're not alone...

Experts estimate that 9 out of 10 computers are infected with spyware and that most users don't even know it. And while not all spyware poses a threat to you or your personal information, there are certain types of spyware that certainly fall into that category.

There are two types of spyware that can be particularly dangerous and leave you vulnerable to identity theft or other types of fraud. The first type of software is called a keylogger, which are sometimes packaged as part of a spyware application. These programs monitor your keystrokes as you work on your computer, perhaps checking your bank account online, logging in to check email or other password protected sites. Once your keystrokes are captured, this informa

hat most users don't even know it. And while not all spyware poses a threat to you or your personal information, there are certain types of spyware that certainly fall into that category.

There are two types of spyware that can be particularly dangerous and leave you vulnerable to identity theft or other types of fraud. The first type of software is called a keylogger, which are sometimes packaged as part of a spyware application. These programs monitor your keystrokes as you work on your computer, perhaps checking your bank account online, logging in to check email or other password protected sites. Once your keystrokes are captured, this inform

inly fall into that category.

There are two types of spyware that can be particularly dangerous and leave you vulnerable to identity theft or other types of fraud. The first type of software is called a keylogger, which are sometimes packaged as part of a spyware application. These programs monitor your keystrokes as you work on your computer, perhaps checking your bank account online, logging in to check email or other password protected sites. Once your keystrokes are captured, this inform

. The first type of software is called a keylogger, which are sometimes packaged as part of a spyware application. These programs monitor your keystrokes as you work on your computer, perhaps checking your bank account online, logging in to check email or other password protected sites. Once your keystrokes are captured, this informn your computer, perhaps checking your bank account online, logging in to check email or other password protected sites. Once your keystrokes are captured, this information can be sent back to the spyware program's creator who can use that information for identity theft. Some experts estimate that this type of activity has resulted in billions of dollars worth of fraud just in the U.S. and a countless number of victims. Of course, this all could have been avoided if they had properly secured their systems...certainly a tough lesson to learn the hard way.

The second type of program is a dialer. These are becoming less and less common since many people are making the switch to broadband internet connections (i.e., cable modems, DSL, satellite, or fiber optic). However, the way these programs work is to take advantage of u