The word malware is mingling of two words namely “malicious” and “software”. Malware is a general term
used to describe a number of malicious kinds of software. This includes spyware, adware, trojans, viruses
and much more. Spyware on the other hand is a specific term related to malware but it is different to other
malicious software as it is designed to perform a different function. Most PC users consider these terms to
be the same thing basically. Although they all harm our computer, they are not exactly the same. All these
malicious software behave differently.

Malware is a general term used to describe all kinds of hostile and intrusive program codes that include
the ones mentioned above. It includes anything that is aimed at performing malicious functions on your
computer. The meaning of these terms such as spyware, viruses, trojans, worms etc has changed over a
period of time. Malware is a term used for referring to how malware infects your system while others are
used while the other terms describe what a malware does when it is active inside your pc.
Once malware becomes active inside your pc, it does many things. Sometimes it will try to replicate itself
providing no harm to anyone and at other times it will be very nasty indeed:

1. Adware

This is not a malware really and it is software that makes use of some kind of advertising delivery system.
Many times the way the advertisements are delivered is deceptive in the sense that they will reveal more
info about you than you want to. On most occasions you will agree to the adware tracking, once you
install the software it will come with. Most of the time, adware can be removed by uninstalling the software
it was attached to.

1. Spyware

Spyware is software which will monitor your pc and will reveal collective critical info to an interested party.
This activity can be termed as benign when it is just tracking the web pages you are visiting. On the other
hand it can be unbelievably invasive and will monitor everything you are doing with your keyword and
mouse.

1. Ransomware

Ransomware alerts your computer system in a manner that prevents you from entering it normally. It will
ask for a payment to get the computer unlocked.

1. Scareware

Scareware appears to be something legitimate but when it is run, it will tell that the system is infected or
broken in some manner. The error message is aimed at frightening you into doing something untoward.