The most common things that people recognize for malicious software programs are spyware and adware. While these may be more commonly known, there is another just a vicious. Introducing another “ware” program that is a big culprit of computer viruses by hackers… malware.

What exactly is malware?

The name goes from the combination of “malicious” and “software”. How does malware get its name? It acutally gets it because it focuses more on intent rather than the software itself. A program cannot be thought of malicious on its own unless it is being used for those purposes. As most people know, a software’s purpose is all dependent on the person who created it.

There are three types of malware that people who connect to the Internet need to be concerned about and watching out for. They are:

1. Infectious – This malware type mainly virus and worms in it. These are the more common known malware. When the word virus is used this day in age, most people think immediately computer rather than a physiological virus. Virus and worms will differ in how they operate and distribute themselves.

- How does a virus get spread? Usually by going through floppy drives disks. The virus will replicate and attach itself to a executable file and will run whenever the program is activated or the disk is opened.

- When was the worm introduced? This computer malware was first seen when the Internet was first used. The malware scans many networks for those vulnerable, unprotected systems and then it will copy itself to them. From there, it starts the process all over again, except it uses the new network.

Though the two are distinct in nature, they are often times used to describe one or the other to explain malware.

2. Concealers – This type of malware is designed to “conceal” itself from the user. There are two concealers used. They are:

- Trojan Horse – Today’s Trojan horses have various appearances. It can disguise itself as a computer utility and can “encourage” a person to use it to improve computer systems. When the person downloads the program, it then makes way for other malware and software to be “installed” onto the computer.

Creators of viruses use the Trojan horse to cause a widespread virus outbreak. When a computer has a Trojan horse on it,it is subsequent to spread the virus to many other networks.

- Backdoors – This is used to create another way to get into your computer system. Typically used by hackers, it helps them to avoid security systems that people have installed onto their computer. Hackers can then “hijack” a computer to do with what they please.

3. Profit Malware – Some companies use malware to increase their profit margins. How they do this comes in the form of a dialer. What is a dialer and exactly how does it affect your computer? A dialer is the type of malware that will mess with your computer’s Internet speed connection by rerouting your existing line through an even more expensive phone line, which then increases the bill you would not have normally paid.

When a person is infected with this malware, it forces them to pay a larger amount of money for a service they have no real need for. Should a person be infected with this malware, they should go flush the wallet in the toilet because this is essentially what you are doing until this malware is removed.