What Is Malware and How Does It Affect Your Computer?
Malware is any software that can infect systems or networks and cause harm to them or their endpoints in a variety of ways depending on the attacker’s goal. This can range from stealing sensitive data to extorting money.
It can also be used to steal cryptocurrencies by hijacking devices to mine for them. This is called cryptojacking and it’s become a significant threat to both individuals and businesses alike.
Some examples of malware are viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware and ransomware. Viruses and worms spread by infecting other computer programs and copying themselves into new programs as they execute. Trojans disguise themselves as legitimate tools and download onto a device, while spyware monitors activity without the user’s knowledge.
From the first computer viruses in the 1980s like Creeper to the more serious ones of 1988 like Elk Cloner, it’s been clear that cybercriminals use malware to gain access to devices, networks and data for nefarious purposes.
Ransomware is a popular malware tool for hackers to extort money from their victims by locking up their data and demanding payment for the decryption key. Hackers can also use it to commit corporate espionage or sabotage and even cause physical destruction.
Attackers can also use malware to create botnets (short for robot networks) of infected computers that can be controlled remotely by the attacker. These networks can be used to generate dDoS attacks and even to mine cryptocurrency. Other types of malware include RATs (remote administration tools), backdoors and rootkits.