Which definition best describes malware?

Which definition best describes malware?

• A. Hostile or intrusive software including computer viruses, worms, spyware, and other harmful programs
• B. A type of hardware device
• C. A data backup protocol
• D. A network protocol

Answer: (A)

Malware is hostile or intrusive software meant to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system. This definition fits best because it explicitly refers to harmful programs such as viruses, worms, and spyware that operate with malicious intent. The other options point to things that aren’t software designed to cause harm: a hardware device is physical equipment, a data backup protocol is a method for protecting data, and a network protocol is a set of rules for device communication. So this description captures what malware is and why it’s distinguished from benign software and other non-software concepts.

Malware is hostile or intrusive software meant to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system. This definition fits best because it explicitly refers to harmful programs such as viruses, worms, and spyware that operate with malicious intent. The other options point to things that aren’t software designed to cause harm: a hardware device is physical equipment, a data backup protocol is a method for protecting data, and a network protocol is a set of rules for device communication. So this description captures what malware is and why it’s distinguished from benign software and other non-software concepts.