Malware: An Introduction
Perhaps one of the most devastating problems computer users have faced over the past twenty years is malware. Malware is a broad term used to describe software ranging from trojans and worms to spyware and adware. While these malicious pieces of code vary in threat levels and motives, all malware infiltrates and often damages a user's computer without consent.
While malware has posed a threat to users since the early 1990s, it has grown considerably over the past decade, as the codes become more advanced, anti-virus and anti-spyware programs struggle to keep up, and the stakes become increasingly higher.
Malware poses a tremendous threat to everyone--from individuals of varying technical abilities to some of the largest and most prominent corporations in America. And yet, while this software poses enormous risks to us all, too few realize the potential consequences of malware and how to protect their computers.
In this section, we will examine the history and tragic rise of this malicious code, take a deeper look at how to define malware, evaluate some organizations that are working to prevent this problem, analyze some disturbing statistics, and learn how to protect our computers, our information, and our online lives.