Understand Types of Malwares and its Definitions

Malware? What’s that? Malware is the collective term to describe malicious programs; these includes

• Virus: It is a program that can replicate itself and affect normal operation of a computer without the permission or knowledge of the user.
• Polymorphic Virus: This type of a virus keeps changing its signature every time it replicates and infects a new file.
• Worm: Unlike a virus, a worm is a program that is capable of replicating and spreading to various other systems without the need of a host file.
• Trojan: It is a program that contains or installs a malicious program though it appears to be a genuine one.
• Spyware: Such type of software collects personal information about the users without their informed consent.
• Adware: This software are capable of playing, displaying, or downloading advertising material automatically to a computer after it is installed on it.
• Backdoor: It is a program that can bypass normal authentication to gain remote access to a computer and remain hidden from cursory inspection.
• Botnet: It is a network of computers controlled by a Bot developer.
• Rootkit: These software tools hide some malicious running processes, files or system data from the operating system.
• Key-Logger: It is a program that is used to capture the user’s keystrokes.
• Fraudulent Dialers: It is a program that installs a malicious program.
• Phishing: It is a fake website appearing to be genuine one in order to extract personal details from users.
• Pharming: Pharming is aimed to redirect a website’s traffic to another phoney website.

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