Malware is basically considered any type of software that embeds itself into your computer and then acts maliciously. The name specifically comes from the term: malicious software. The term malware has been typcially used to refer to trojans, worms and other malicious software not typcially classified as adware or spyware.
However, lately, the term has been used more broadly to include these types of infectious programs as well, and it now often is used to mean any type of malicious program.
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Malware has also been referred to as scumware, but that term has been losing popularity. The typical malware may be a virus, spyware application, adware software, rootkit, trojan horse, worm, or just any type of software that would be considered an attack on your computer.
Malware comes in many forms, and sometimes is easily detectable. Other times, it may be running silently with the computer user unaware of the mischief going on under the hood. Never assume everything is fine with your computer just because you have no problems with it. Always scan, always double check your PC, as these applications can be very stealthy.
We highly recommend using malware scanners and removers on a regular basis. You can also run the applications in the background so they can alert you to any problems before they infect your computer. If you suspect you have malware on your computer, get started with our step-by-step spyware remover software guide right away.