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Malware

Malware is a short version of Malicious Software.

Malware is software used for data theft, device damage, harassment, etc. It is very similar to computer malware. It installs things such as trojans, worms, and botnets to the affected device. It is illegal to knowingly distribute malware.

Virus

A computer program that can automatically copy itself and infect a computer.

Worm

A self-replicating computer program that can automatically infect computers on a network.

Trojan horse

A computer program which appears to perform a certain action, but actually performs many different forms of codes.

Spyware

A computer program that can automatically intercept or take partial control over the user's interaction.

Exploit Kit

A toolkit that automates the exploitation of client-side vulnerabilities, targeting browsers and programs that a website can invoke through the browser 1. Often utilizing a drive-by-download.

Drive-by-download

Any download that happens without a person's knowledge 2.

Rootkit

A rootkit is a stealthy type of software, typically malicious, designed to hide the existence of certain processes or programs from normal methods of detection and enable continued privileged access to an operating system.

Various types of rootkits:

  • User mode
  • Kernel mode
  • Bootkits
  • Hypervisor level
  • Firmware and Hardware

See Also

Analysis

Exploit Kit

Persistence

Rootkit