Guide Note

Malware is a piece of software that is programmed to do a malicious activity on your computer. Malware can do a variety of different things to your computer such as crash the operating system, download new files, deny you Internet access and a variety of other different activities.

There are many different types of malware, which include but are not limited to, dialers, trojans, trojan downloaders, computer viruses, adware, and spyware. Each of these different infections has a different purpose, however, it is possible that several different types of malware can combine and do many different things to your computer.

There are many causes of malware, but some include having too much control on your user account or clicking links that contain a trojan downloader or some other kind of malicious software. There may also be bugs in the code, which is called a vulnerability, and that can be used to exploit the system and download malware to your PC.

Fast Facts

1. The name is derived from the words "malicious" and "software"
2. Sometimes referred to as a computer contaminant or virus
3. An example is the Melissa virus
4. Worms, Trojan Horses, Trojan Downloaders, Viruses, Spyware, Adware, Rootkits, Time/Logic Bombs, Keyloggers, and Backdoor Trojans can all be considered malware
5. Malware is only software that serves a malicious purpose, not software that doesn't work properly