Malware
Malware, short for
malicious software, is any software used to disrupt computer operation, gather sensitive information, or gain access to private computer systems. It can appear in the form of executable code, scripts, active content, and other software. 'Malware' is a general term used to refer to a variety of forms of hostile or intrusive software. Malware includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, ransomware, spyware, adware, scareware, and other malicious programs. As of 2011 the majority of active malware threats were worms or trojans rather than viruses. In law, malware is sometimes known as a
computer contaminant, as in the legal codes of several U.S. states. Malware is often disguised as, or embedded in, non-malicious files. Spyware or other malware is sometimes found embedded in programs supplied officially by companies, e.g., downloadable from websites, that appear useful or attractive, but may have, for example, additional hidden tracking functionality that gathers marketing statistics.