Learn in the textbookMalware Basics and Major Infection Types
DefinitionMalware (マルウェア) is the umbrella term for malicious software: programs written to harm computers or the people who use them.
ExplanationMalware comes in many types that differ in how they get in and what damage they cause, and every type covered in this unit is one kind of malware. Antivirus software finds malware mainly by matching against a definition file (定義ファイル, also called a pattern file) that lists the traits of known malware, so keeping up with new types depends on updating that file.
AnalogyJust as the word “illness” covers everything from colds to food poisoning, malware is a word that covers every individual malicious program.
Memory hookThe “mal” at the front is the English prefix mal- (bad), the same one found in malfunction.