What’s Malware?

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Malware is a portmanteau, a term that combines “malicious” and “software” to describe a type of program designed to steal information or cause harm to a computer. It includes things like spyware and adware programs, including pop-ups and even tracking cookies, which are used to track users’ browsing habits without permission. It also includes more sinister dangers, such as keyloggers, Trojan horses, worms, and viruses. In simplest terms, it is any software intended by the developer to cause harm or exploit people’s computers or private records without consent.

The threat posed by malware

The threat posed by malicious software has expanded roughly in parallel with the number of people using the Internet around the world. The first well-known examples of malware, which appeared in the first half of the 1990s, were largely the result of experimentation and pranks by curious developers trying to expand their capabilities. Many of these caused little or no real harm and simply resulted in uncommanded actions such as displaying a humorous image on the victim’s computer screen. This has gradually given way to efforts to exploit infected computers for annoying but relatively mundane purposes, such as distributing spam emails and other forms of advertising.

However, with the rise of Internet use, a new term has been coined: cybercrime. People with bad intentions quickly realized the possibility of using these same tools to steal, extort and carry out various political agendas. Other perpetrators used dedicated software to target specific victims; this would include so-called “denial of service attacks” against large companies or government agencies, as well as programs designed for identity theft. To make matters more confusing, it is widely believed that the governments of many countries have experimented with or have directly employed malware to carry out attacks against enemy groups or nations, as well as to gather intelligence; experts commonly refer to this as electronic warfare.

Types of malware
While new types of malicious software are constantly being developed, these programs generally fall into a few broad categories. Viruses are perhaps the best known category and consist of malicious programs designed to “infect” legitimate software programs. Once a person installs and runs the infected program, the virus becomes active and spreads to other programs installed on the computer before taking further actions such as deleting critical files within the operating system. Similarly, “worms” are self-contained programs that can transmit themselves directly across a network. Both types of malware can cause serious damage by consuming essential system resources, which can cause the victim computer to freeze or crash. Viruses and worms typically use shared files and databases such as email address books to spread to other computers.

Less obvious but equally insidious threats include keyloggers, programs that log every keystroke a user makes and then forward that information to whoever installed the program to begin with. This makes it possible to steal information such as passwords, bank account numbers and credit card numbers. A Trojan horse is a malicious program disguised within other software that appears to be legitimate. Once installed, however, the Trojan can install a “backdoor” through which it can retrieve personal information and transfer it to another computer. Hackers commonly use these forms of malware to perpetrate identity theft.
PC vs. Mac
It is generally true that PCs are more likely to fall victim to malware than Apple Macintosh® computers. There are many theories behind why this is the case. Some suggest that the sheer number of existing Windows® PCs makes them a more lucrative target. Other experts have suggested that the architecture of the operating system used in Macs is designed to make hacking more difficult. Despite these benefits, Mac-oriented viruses and related risks are out there, and sensible precautions are just as important as they are for PCs.
Counter the threat
Antivirus programs are good protection if kept up to date. Some of these products can even scan your email for any kind of malicious or suspicious code and alert you to its presence, even if it’s not currently recognized. However, certain types of threats, such as Trojans and spyware, are often missing, so it’s a good idea to run at least one anti-adware program alongside your anti-virus. Using a firewall is also helpful because while it won’t keep malware out, it can prevent such programs from accessing the Internet and providing personal information to the intended target.
No single product can guarantee that a computer is protected from all of these malicious programs. Developers on both sides are in a constant battle to outdo each other. Ultimately, the user is the last line of defense by being cautious about opening emails from unknown sources and staying away from dodgy websites.
Hunting for the culprits
While developing software to detect, remove, and repair the damage has become a lucrative industry, a concerted effort is also underway to bring those responsible to justice. This is a huge challenge because even though cybercriminals often form large underground organizations, individual participants are usually spread across the globe and can communicate or do their jobs from anywhere that has a computer and internet access. Only through international cooperation can law enforcement be effective; indeed such joint operations have led to some dramatic successes. However, not all governments are equally cooperative and some seem to turn a blind eye entirely, greatly hampering attempts to attack the problem at its source.

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