Malware is an umbrella term used to refer to a variety of forms of hostile or intrusive software.
Malware is an umbrella term used to refer to a variety of forms of hostile or intrusive software.
There are many different forms of malware.
Viruses (in the context of Computer Science) are small computer programs that cause damage to host systems.
They might delete files or open "backdoors" to allow remote access to the system.
Viruses usually spread when users copy "infected" files to other devices. Self-replicating viruses (ones that automatically copy themselves across devices) are called worms.
Trojans are malware programs that pretend to be useful software, which users then willingly install on their computers.
They take their name from the story of the Trojan War, where Greek soldiers hid inside a wooden horse to enter the city of Troy.
Spyware means malware intended to gather information about users and devices without their knowledge.
This might include tracking users' locations, activating their webcam, keylogging, or screen recording.
Once captured, the data is sent back to a remote host server where hackers can retrieve it.
How can users prevent against malware?
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• Installing antivirus and anti-malware software
• Keeping the operating system up to date
• Avoiding dodgy websites
• Using a firewall to restrict traffic