Malware
Malware is a catch-all phrase that includes any kind of bad software
- ex. malware can be used to install spyware on a host
A virus is a specific type of malware that requires user interaction to infect the user’s device
- viruses are typically self-replicating. If you open an email attachment that inadvertently runs some malicious code, it will then send off more spam emails.
A worm is another type of malware, and differs from a virus in that it doesn’t require user interaction.
- ex. User runs a vulnerable network app which the hacker can send malware to.
A Trojan horse is another type of malware, where the malware is hidden as a part of a useful piece of software
A Botnet is a network of infected ("mind controlled") hosts that can be used by a hacker to do malicious things, like send out spam email or launch DDOS attacks