How Does Malware Work?
Malware is a broad term that encompasses any type of malware designed to infiltrate your device without your knowledge or consent and cause damage, disruption or steal data. It includes adware, spyware, viruses, bots, trojans, worms and ransomware.
The goal of most cyberattacks using malware is to profit. Hackers use malware to make money through stealing sensitive information, selling stolen systems and devices or holding individuals and organizations hostage by encrypting data and demanding payment for a decryption key.
How Does Malware Work?
Most malware infections occur when you inadvertently click an infected link or download a malicious file. The malware then installs itself and starts working toward the attacker’s goals.
Some malware, like adware, generates revenue for hackers by bombarding your screen with unwanted advertisements. Adware is typically hidden within free games or browser toolbars.
Other types of malware, such as infostealers, perform data exfiltration by spying on victims to steal information, including usernames and passwords, financial details, intellectual property, login credentials and more. Infostealers are often used to target remote workers in an enterprise setting, where they can steal data from their at-home devices.
Worms are a type of malware that spreads by hijacking network connections and modifying other computer programs to replicate themselves. The Stuxnet worm, for example, was used as a cyberweapon by the United States and Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities in 2010, where it destroyed one-fifth of the country’s centrifuges. Trojans, meanwhile, disguise themselves as legitimate software to infiltrate a system before downloading additional malware.