Today's malware is much more sinister Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Today's malware is much more sinister - Essay Example This paper shall discuss malware and their current impact on private and public affairs, including the fact that the current malware is considered more sinister. A description of malware shall first be established followed by their current impact on society. A more critical analysis of the extent of their impact in relation to their original usage will also be presented. This article is being carried out in order to clarify the purpose and impact of malware, most especially the current forms of malware which has infiltrated the computer world. Malware is generally considered a nuisance to the digital and electronic community. This software comes in the form of codes, scripts, as well as other software (Skoudis and Zeltzer, 2004). It also includes various forms of hostile or intrusive software (Skoudis and Zeltzer, 2004). It also includes computer viruses, worms, spywares, adwares, Trojan horses, as well as other dangerous and damaging programs (Skoudis and Zeltzer, 2004). Legally, they are considered as computer contaminants. They are however not within the same category as defective programs which are programs often utilized for valid purposes but which contain bugs or problems which were not resolved before the release of the software (Aquilina, et.al., 2008). This is not to say however that some forms of malware may not take on the appearance of legitimate software because it may happen that some malware may seem legitimate, however in actuality, they may actually contain tracking software which may be used to gain mar keting data (Yin and Song, 2003). Malware has also led to the increase in the use of protective software, including anti-virus, anti-malware, and firewalls (Yin and Song, 2003). These programs have mostly been applied by individual as well as corporate consumers in order to prevent the illegal access of their system