User:Cyber security and threats

Malware – Overview
In the recent years, we have heard of many people and big corporates losing their precious data or being in a situation where their systems are hacked. These unwanted activities are being caused, in most of the cases, using a piece of software inserted into a network system, server or a personal computer. This piece of software is known as a malware. A malware can cause harm to a system or a network directly, or subvert them to be used by others, rather than as intended by their owners. It is a combination of two words: Mal meaning Bad and Ware meaning Software. Malware, or malicious software, is any program or file that is harmful to a computer user. Malware includes computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses and spyware. These malicious programs can perform a variety of functions, including stealing, encrypting or deleting sensitive data, altering or hijacking core computing functions and monitoring users' computer activity without their permission.