Malware Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

What is malware?

An umbrella term for a variety of forms of hostile or intrusive software.
e.g. computer viruses, trojans, spyware

What is a computer virus?

Malware that attaches itself to another program or file. It runs when the infected file is executed, and spreads as infected files are run or shared.

What is a trojan?

Malware that poses as a useful, legitimate program. The user is tricked into executing it, and its hidden malicious purpose then activates. It does not copy itself.

What does spyware do?

It hides on a device and logs the user's activity, such as keystrokes, then passes this to the attacker, who can use it to steal passwords or bank details.

Give three ways to protect a computer against malware.

Any three of: keep the operating system and software up to date; do not open unexpected email attachments or links; only install software from trusted sources; scan or avoid unknown removable media; use anti-malware software.