Malicious Software
Malware or Malicious Software infiltrates and/or damages a
computer - without the owner's knowledge or authorization. It is used
as a broad term to represent any kind of software or program code which
runs the gamut from hostile to simply annoying.
Malware is about intent
While many non-techie people mistakenly call all malware 'computer viruses', it is important to note that not all Malicious Software is a virus.
What makes software malicious is the intent of its creator. Malware can include a virus, worm, Trojan horses, adware, or anything unwanted. However, it is important to note that just because something you download turns out to be defective and carries a bug does not make it malicious. Remember, malware is only malware when the intent of it's creator was to cause harm.
90% of malware infections occur on personal home computers
More specifically, computers infected with malware are used to send out spam, attack commercial websites, as well as complex internet-linked systems as part of extortion schemes. While over 90% of malware infections occur on personal home computers, there is evidence that this has a domino effect on major industries that rely upon transactions. The clearest example of this is banking; some people do not conduct any online transactions precisely because of this issue.
Fortunately, countries around the globe are becoming more aware of how serious a threat malicious software can be to their economies. In the years to come, we can expect nations to come together in order to collectively focus on coming up with new and more sophisticated ways to counteract malware attacks.
