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Definitions
What is a virus?
Malicious software, typically called ‘viruses’, are programs designed to
infect and damage computers. Most viruses are transmitted over the
Internet, emails or malicious Web sites. A typical virus will replicate
and pass itself undetected to multiple computers. Other forms of
nuisance, such as Trojan horses, worms or spam can infect your
computer in various ways, using up resources or clogging up a
network.
Note: Gateway guarantees that your computer was 100% virus
free at the time of purchase and does not cover damages due to
viruses.
What is spyware?
Spyware refers to generally unwanted programs that are downloaded
onto your computer while connected to the Internet, often without
you knowing it. Once it has infected your computer, it can snoop on
your browsing activity, collect personal information, cause pop-up ads
to appear, or even change the configuration of your computer.
Spyware consumes resources on your computer; it can slow down your
Internet connection or entire computer system, and even cause
crashes.
Spyware is sometimes used by unscrupulous companies to monitor
and track the sites you visit on the Internet so as to determine your
web-surfing habits and display targeted pop-up ads on your screen.
However, some kinds of spyware go beyond simple tracking and
