Malware is a major threat to the security of computers, tablets, smartphones and all digital devices. Today’s cyberattacks frequently involves some type of malware. These malicious software can take many forms, from ransomware causing high damage and financial loss to simple boring adware, depending on the attackers’ objective.
Understanding these various types of malwares, their detection signals, and effective protection strategies has become essential for both individuals and organizations seeking to safeguard their digital data.
What is Malware?
Malware refers to computer code specifically created to harm digital systems, networks, and users. This malicious software enters devices without authorization to extract sensitive data, damage systems, or disrupt operations. Cybercriminals develop these programs to compromise digital security for various gains.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology defines malware as software designed with harmful intent against data, computers, or networks. Unlike legitimate applications, malware arrives through deception, hiding its true function until activated.
Virus or Malware? Spot the difference!
The terms “virus” and “malware” are often used interchangeably, though they represent different concepts.
Computer viruses constitute a specific subset of malware characterized by self-replication and attachment to legitimate files or programs. Much like biological viruses require host cells, computer viruses need host programs to spread. Malware, in contrast, serves as the broader category covering all forms of malicious software, including viruses, worms, trojans, and ransomware.
This distinction emerged as threats diversified beyond the early virus-dominated era. By the mid-2000s, IT professionals had widely adopted “malware” as the standard terminology to reflect the growing variety of digital threats that didn’t rely on traditional viral spreading mechanisms.
Why Do Cybercriminals Use Malware?
Cybercriminals deploy malware for numerous strategic purposes, with financial motivation ranking as the primary driver.
Attackers target personal credentials such as usernames, passwords, banking information, and Social Security numbers to facilitate identity theft and fraud.
Ransomware attacks represent a direct approach to monetary gain, with criminals encrypting vital data and demanding payment for restoration. Many attackers profit by gathering and selling sensitive information on dark web marketplaces, where personal data commands significant prices.
Beyond financial targets, malware serves as a tool for intellectual property theft, particularly against research institutions and corporations with valuable proprietary information. Nation-state actors and corporate spies use sophisticated malware to conduct espionage operations against governments and businesses.
System disruption constitutes another common objective, with attackers seeking to disable critical infrastructure or business operations. Malware can commandeer computing resources to form botnets—networks of compromised machines used for distributed denial-of-service attacks, spam distribution, or cryptocurrency mining without owner consent.
The tactics employed to achieve these goals include data exfiltration techniques, credential harvesting, system lockouts, network resource destruction, and botnet command operations. These methods often work in combination, with initial infections establishing footholds for additional malicious activities.
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