Malware, short for “malicious software,” is a general term for any software created with harmful intent. Also called badware, it is often used interchangeably with various common types listed below. Malware’s goals typically include stealing personal information or creating a backdoor that allows unauthorized access to your computer, its resources, or data. While malware cannot physically damage hardware, it can steal, encrypt, or erase data, manipulate essential computer functions, or spy on your activities without your knowledge.
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What is Malware?
Malware, or malicious software, is code or a file, typically delivered over a network, that infects a device, exploits vulnerabilities, steals data, or performs virtually any action an attacker wants.
How it works
- Infection: Enters your device via phishing emails, malicious links, infected downloads, fake software, or infected USB drives.
- Execution: Lies dormant until you run the infected file, then activates to perform malicious actions.
- Damage: Can delete files, slow your system, steal data, or allow attackers to control your system remotely.
Different types of malware include
There are various types of malware, such as computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, ransomware, and spyware.
- Adware: While not always malicious, aggressive advertising software can compromise your security to display ads. This can give other malicious programs an easy entry.
- Spyware: Spyware is malware that secretly tracks a computer user’s activities without their permission and sends the data to its creator.
- Virus: A computer virus is malware that attaches itself to another program and, when executed, usually accidentally by the user, reproduces itself by modifying other programs and infecting them with its own code.
- Worms: Computer worms are a type of malware, similar to viruses, that replicate themselves and spread across a network to other computers. They typically cause damage by destroying data and files.
- Trojan: A Trojan is one of the most dangerous types of malware. Once a Trojan infects your system, the attackers behind it gain unauthorized access to the affected computer. From there, they can steal financial information or install viruses. Some Trojans are also classified as ransomware, such as Trojan: W32/Ransom.
- Ransomware: Ransomware is a type of malware that locks you out of your device and encrypts your data. It aims to force you to pay a ransom. The malware code is easy to find on online criminal marketplaces and is very hard to defend against.
- Rootkit: A rootkit is a type of malware that gives an attacker administrative access to the infected system. Usually, it is made to stay completely hidden from the system.
- Keylogger: A keylogger is malicious software that records all keystrokes on a user’s keyboard. The collected data is typically stored and transmitted to the attacker, who searches for sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details.
- Cryptojacking: Malicious cryptomining, sometimes called drive-by mining, is a growing form of malware that usually installs trojans. This enables someone else to use your computer to mine cryptocurrency. A malicious cryptominer exploits your computer resources to generate income.
- Exploit: Exploits are a type of malware that take advantage of flaws and vulnerabilities in a system to allow the creator to gain control. Additionally, exploits are linked to ads that attack through legitimate websites, unknowingly serving malicious content from a compromised site. The corrupted content then attempts to install itself on your computer via a drive-by download. Clicking is not required.
- Bot: A bot is a software program designed to perform specific tasks automatically. These tasks can range from benign activities, such as participating in online contests or managing video game actions, to malicious activities, including launching cyberattacks, spreading spam, collecting data, or distributing malware. To protect websites from bots, techniques such as CAPTCHA tests are often used to verify that users are human.
- Fileless Malware: Fileless malware doesn’t install anything initially; instead, it modifies system files such as PowerShell or WMI. Since the operating system treats these files as legitimate, attacks that lack files often bypass antivirus software. Because these attacks are stealthy, they are up to 10 times more successful than traditional malware attacks.
- Backdoor: Backdoors are a covert method of bypassing the standard authentication or encryption of a computer, product, embedded device (e.g. router) or other parts of the computer. They are often used to secure remote access to a computer or to gain access to encrypted files.
- Rogueware: Rogueware tricks users into believing their system has a security problem, such as a virus, and then prompts them to pay to have the threat removed. In reality, however, the fake security software is the malware that needs to be removed.
- RAM Scraper: A RAM scraper is malware that collects data temporarily stored in memory (RAM). This type of malware often targets point-of-sale (POS) systems, such as cash registers, because they can store unencrypted credit card numbers for a short period before encryption and transmission to the backend.
- Grayware: Grayware refers to unwanted applications or files that are not malware but can harm computer performance and pose cybersecurity risks. At best, grayware acts disruptively or undesirably, while at worst, it monitors the system and sends sensitive information to the creator.
How does a PC or laptop get infected with malware?
The most common ways malware accesses your system are via the Internet and email, which are essentially always on. Malware can infect your computer when you visit hacked websites, click on game demos, download infected music files, install software from untrusted sources, or open malicious email attachments. This applies to almost anything you download from the Internet onto a device that lacks a good anti-malware security program.
Additionally, malicious apps can hide inside seemingly legitimate applications, especially when downloaded from websites rather than a reputable app store. It’s important to pay attention to warning messages when installing applications, particularly when they request permission to access your email or other personal information.
How to detect and remove malware from your PC?
Certain types of malware are easier to detect than others. Some, like ransomware and adware, make their presence known immediately by encrypting files or displaying endless ads. Others, such as trojans and spyware, try to hide from you for as long as possible, meaning they might be on your system long before you notice. Additionally, malware like viruses and worms can operate secretly for some time before showing symptoms such as freezing, deleting or replacing files, sudden shutdowns, or an overactive processor.
- Install reputable antivirus/anti-malware software.
- Keep your OS and apps updated.
- Be cautious with emails, attachments, and links.
- Use strong passwords and avoid saving credentials.
The only way to detect malware before it infects your computer is to install anti-malware software, which includes detection tools and scans that can catch malware on your device and block it from running.
The Windows Defender included in Windows 11 already provides sufficient protection against malware for most standard users. Of course, there are other ways to protect your devices.
Also, stay alert. Avoid clicking on pop-up ads while browsing the web. Also, avoid opening attachments from unknown senders or downloading software from untrusted websites or peer-to-peer file-sharing networks. Also, make sure your operating system, browsers, and plugins are always up to date. Updating your software can often keep online criminals at bay.
If you’re a mobile user, only download apps from the Google Play Store or App Store. Check the ratings and reviews before downloading an app. A low rating and few downloads indicate that it’s better to avoid that app. Also, don’t click on suspicious, unverified links in emails, texts, or WhatsApp messages from unknown senders. Odd links from friends and contacts should also be ignored unless you’ve verified their safety.
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