Spyware isn't the best term for what is happening, but it is quickly exceeding (or contributing) to all the other problems associated with the online (not just Internet) world. You probably need to be a paid subscriber or visit a public library http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB108958290808760730,00.html By Lee Gomes Wall Street Journal, July 12 2004 Spyware was never a good thing, but lately it has gotten a whole lot worse. For many people, it has become a bigger problem than spam, and one more reason to regret being online. What did the future look like a year ago, Blaster had just hit and spyware wasn't as bad? The R&E community has some interesting ideas. Security at Line Speed Workshop http://apps.internet2.edu/sals/2003aug/presentations.html Terry Gray's "disconnect: security in the post-Internet era" identifies some of the consequences. Jim Rothfuss's "protection of an Open computing environment" covers some of the tools they use. But scaling remains an issue. Who should control your personal computer?