Malware

Malware is software designed to harm a device, interfere with its operation, or give someone unauthorized access to it or its data. The word covers many kinds of harmful programs, including viruses, spyware that secretly gathers information, and ransomware that demands payment.

How can malware reach a device through a website or email?

Malware can be delivered through a harmful attachment, a deceptive download, or a website taken over by an attacker. Sometimes a person must open or run something; in other cases, a security weakness in software may allow an attack without the person intending to install a program. A suspicious domain or link can be one part of the delivery path, but a domain name alone does not establish that a download is malicious.

For example, a phishing email may link to a fake update page that offers a malicious file. The email is the deception, the page is where the file is offered, and the software is malware if it performs harmful or unauthorized actions. These terms describe related but different parts of the event.

Is malware the same as a virus or phishing?

No. A virus is one type of malware. Phishing is a method of deceiving a person and may be used to deliver malware, but a phishing attempt can instead seek passwords or payment directly. A blocklist may track domains or addresses associated with malware, yet a clean list result does not prove that a file or website is safe.

Related terms

• Phishing — deception that may lead to malware
• Blocklist — one source of threat signals
• False positive — an incorrect threat detection
• Domain reputation — a domain-level risk signal