Grayware The term "grayware" is also used to describe a kind of Native American pottery and has also been used by some working in computer technology as slang for the human brain. is a general classification for applications that behave in a manner that is annoying or undesirable. Grayware encompasses spyware, adware, dialers, joke programs, remote access tools, and any other unwelcome files and programs apart from viruses that can harm the performance of computers on your network. The term has been in use since at least as early as September 2004.