Which software category collects personal information without user consent?

Spyware is specifically designed to collect personal information from users without their consent. It operates in the background, often without the user's knowledge, gathering data such as browsing habits, login credentials, and even credit card information. This type of software can compromise user privacy and security, making it important for individuals to be aware of and safeguard against such threats.

The other categories listed do not inherently focus on collecting personal information without consent. While applications and operating systems can collect user data, they typically operate with transparency and often provide users with options to manage their privacy settings. Middleware facilitates communication and data management between different software applications but does not itself engage in data collection in the manner spyware does. Thus, spyware stands out as the primary category associated with unauthorized data collection.