There have been many heated discussions amongst computer users both amateur and professional as to whether BackWeb is spyware, malware or completely harmless. Really it all depends on your beliefs and feelings regarding this type of program.

BackWeb has been associated with spyware by many online websites and anti-spyware programs. However, a visit to the BackWeb website will quickly tell you that BackWeb is simply communication software that is used by many large companies including IBM and Logitech for applications that provide desktop functionality for their employees and customers. It is used in many of these programs to provide targeted updates for their software and content as part of many opt-in services.

BackWeb software makes it possible for applications to be automatically updated, which helps to ensure that they are as productive as possible without effort from the computer user to maintain the software. It is similar to Windows Update or other updater utilities used by software developers. A small list of Backweb customers includes Hewlett-Packard, Johnson & Johnson and Oracle.

One version of the BackWeb executable is installed with software for Logitech products such as mice and keyboards. It is used to check for updates for the software that is included with these devices. If you are concerned about this software running on your computer, you can find it under Software, Logitech Desktop Manager, where you can easily uninstall it.

BackWeb suggests that the software only monitors the keyboard and mouse for activity so that they know when the computer is inactive. They claim it does not record actual keystrokes. They claim that their customers use BackWeb bundled into various software applications so that drivers, updates, patches and critical information from a secure server can be sent directly to a computer hard drive.

There are definitely mixed feelings about this type of activity. One computer user writes, “Talk about mixed messages: Spy Sweeper assessed BackWeb as a “medium” threat to my system but did indicate that the program is generally used for legitimate purposes…” In the case of that user, the BackWeb software was included with Kodak software that came with a digital camera.

Other files including IAdHide.dll, IAdHide3.dll, dlgli.exe and tempiadhide3.dll are also included with BackWeb.

Ultimately it is up to you if you want to worry about BackWeb being installed on your computer. One user put it this way; any program that is connecting to the internet without the knowledge of the end user is obviously going to be a security threat. That is the reason that BackWeb has come into question by so many different computer users. It gets installed with software so often without the computer user being aware that it is happening.

Still to this day, many anti-spyware programs will pick up the presence of BackWeb on a computer. However, with BackWeb lobbying many of these developers, it is slowly being removed from their list of threats. Whether or not you want it installed on your computer system is entirely up to you in the end.