What malware is similar to adware but secretly collects and sends user data to the attacker?

• A. Spyware
• B. Spam
• C. Spear-Phishing
• D. Star topology

Answer: (A)

Spyware is designed to covertly collect information from a user’s system and send it back to an attacker. It goes beyond adware by not just displaying ads but secretly monitoring activity, harvesting data (like browsing history or credentials), and transmitting that data to the attacker. That combination of hidden data collection and data exfiltration is what makes spyware the correct match for the description. The other options don’t fit: spam is unsolicited email, spear-phishing is a targeted phishing attack, and star topology is a network layout, not malware.