Which category of software is designed to monitor activity or collect information without user consent?

• A. Malware
• B. Spyware
• C. Adware
• D. Ransomware

Answer: (B)

Spyware is software designed to monitor a user’s activity and collect information without consent. It runs covertly on a device to track things like websites visited, keystrokes, passwords, and other personal data, then often transmits that data to an attacker. This stealthy data collection without the user’s agreement is what defines spyware.

Think of it in contrast to other types: malware is the broad category of harmful software, with spyware as one form focused on surveillance. Adware mainly aims to display advertisements and may collect some usage data, but its primary purpose isn’t covert spying. Ransomware, on the other hand, locks or encrypts files and demands payment, which is a different malicious objective altogether. So the category described is spyware.