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Cybersecurity vocabulary · Malware

Malware

Meaning in cybersecurity, with examples

/ˈmælwer/nounCore term

In cybersecurity, malware means: Short for 'malicious software': any program written to damage systems, steal data, spy on users or take control of a device without permission.

In Turkish: zararlı yazılım, kötü amaçlı yazılım

How it is used

The general umbrella word: viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware and spyware are all types of malware. Analysts talk about malware samples, malware families and malware analysis. It is uncountable, so say 'a piece of malware'.

Example sentences

  1. The malware was hidden inside a fake invoice attachment.

  2. We sent the malware sample to the analysis team.

Common collocations

  • malware infection
  • malware sample
  • malware analysis
  • detect malware
  • remove malware
  • virusA type of malware that attaches itself to a file or program and spreads to other files when that program is run.
  • ransomwareMalware that encrypts a victim's files or systems and demands a payment, usually in cryptocurrency, in exchange for the key to unlock them.
  • trojanMalware disguised as a useful or harmless program, such as a free tool or a document, that secretly performs harmful actions once it is run.
  • antivirusSecurity software that scans files and devices to detect, block and remove malware, using known signatures and suspicious behaviour.
  • sandboxAn isolated, controlled environment where suspicious files or programs can be run safely to see what they do, without any risk to real systems.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Malware

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