Web Bugs

What are Web Bugs?

Web bugs are designed to gather information about you while you visit a website for advertisers. They are graphical images either visible or hidden on a web page. Web bugs are usually a small image (1 X 1 pixels) designed as small as possible to avoid detection, and clear to make them appear invisible without the correct software to detect the web bugs. Another possible term for a web bug would be web beacons. Web bugs can be included on a website, part of an email, or some other type of web adware.

Web Bugs and how they affect you.

When you visit a website that has a web bug hidden on its site, the web bug has the ability to gather information about such as the date and time you were there, the type of browser you are using, the resolution your monitor displays, as well as your JavaScript settings if available. Web bugs can also send your IP address back to the advertisers when you visit a website that has a web bug hidden. Once the advertiser has your IP address they then will be able to keep track of any other websites you may visit with that same ad display on it.

Web bugs can also be hidden in an email document allowing spammers, if you happen to open an email with a web bug attached, your email address is then logged by the spammer's server adding your email address to send you more and more unwanted spam.

How you can prevent web bugs

One of the best ways to prevent web bugs from sending your IP address to advertisers is through the use of a good spyware detection tool. Our website provides a through side-by-side comparison of the top anti-spyware products available. If you are not sure about an email in your inbox, make sure you get in a habit on not opening attachments or emails from people you don't know. Not all web bugs are bad however.

When a company creates a website, they sometimes use web bugs to gather statistical information allowing them to improve upon their website, they may be using this information to determine what pages they are visiting or how many people are visiting their website.

If you're worried that your computer has been infected with spyware or you want to know when you have run into a website with a web bug attached then try our number one ranked product, to allow you to know when someone is gathering information about you .

To see a side-by-side comparisons of all of the top Anti spyware programs. visit our spyware remover software reviews. To learn more about spyware and harmful spyware infections see our spyware information page.