mal·ware  (māl'wâr')  n. Malicious computer software that interferes with normal computer functions or sends personal data about the user to unauthorized parties over the Internet. [mal(icious) + -ware.] |
| Main Entry: | malware |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | software, such as viruses, intended to damage or disable a computer system; short for malicious software; also written mal-ware |
| Etymology: | 1998-2003 |
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malware
and evilware
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malware security
Any software designed to do something that the user would not wish it to do, hasn't asked it to do, and often has no knowledge of until it's too late. Types of malware include backdoor, virus, worm, Trojan horse.
Malware typically affects the system on which it is run, e.g. by deleting or corrupting files on the local disks. Since Internet connections became common, malware has increasingly targets remote systems. An early example was malware consisting of a malicious e-mail attachment that targeted security flaws in Microsoft Outlook (the most common e-mail client) to send itself to all the user's contacts. A more recent kind of malware "recruits" the infected computer to become part of a botnet consisting of thousands of infected computers that can then be remotely controlled and used to launch DDoS attacks.
(2007-11-15)