malware

What is malware? Types, infection routes, and the basic defenses

Malware (malicious software) is the umbrella term for software built to harm your devices or data. Viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, spyware, and bots are all types under it. However different they look, the defense is the same three layers: close the entry (updates, don't open suspicious attachments/macros, MFA), detect (EDR, antivirus), and be able to recover (backups). Mastering the principle matters far more than memorizing the type names.