malware

[ mal-wair ]

/ ˈmælˌwɛər /

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noun Digital Technology.

software intended to damage a computer, mobile device, computer system, or computer network, or to take partial control over its operation: tips on finding and removing viruses, spyware, and other malware.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

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Origin of malware

First recorded in 1990–95; mal(icious) + -ware

Words nearby malware

malversation, Malvinas, Malvine, malvoisie, malwa, malware, mam, mama, mamaguy, mamaku, Mamallapuram

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use malware in a sentence

Malwarebytes mobile malware researcher Nathan Collier was at first puzzled.
Android barcode scanner with 10 million+ downloads infects users|Dan Goodin|February 8, 2021|Ars Technica
After remaining undetected for months, they inserted malware in new updates between February and June 2020.
The U.S. Spent $2.2 Million on a Cybersecurity System That Wasn’t Implemented — and Might Have Stopped a Major Hack|by Peter Elkind and Jack Gillum|February 2, 2021|ProPublica
In theory, elements within the seditious uprising or other actors using the rioters as cover might attempt to install malware on, say, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desktop.
Attempted coup at Capitol presents key opportunity for cyberattack, experts warn|dzanemorris|January 6, 2021|Fortune
Thousands of private companies worldwide also were potentially affected, many in sensitive industries, after they uploaded software patches that were infused with malware, reportedly by Russia’s foreign intelligence service, known as the SVR.
Federal investigators find evidence of previously unknown tactics used to penetrate government networks|Craig Timberg, Ellen Nakashima|December 17, 2020|Washington Post

The malware disguises its network traffic as the “Orion Improvement Program” and stores data inside legitimate files in order to better blend in.
How Russian hackers infiltrated the US government for months without being spotted|Patrick Howell ONeill|December 15, 2020|MIT Technology Review
These attacks had distinct similarities with the malware used against Sony.
U.S. Spies Say They Tracked ‘Sony Hackers’ For Years|Shane Harris|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Perhaps the most interesting and indeed relevant of this is the C2 (or Command and Control) addresses found in the malware.
No, North Korea Didn’t Hack Sony|Marc Rogers|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Increasingly, criminals actually lease their malware from a group that guarantees their malware against detection.
No, North Korea Didn’t Hack Sony|Marc Rogers|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
These addresses were used by whoever carried out the attack to control the malware and can be found in the malware code itself.
No, North Korea Didn’t Hack Sony|Marc Rogers|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Furthermore, checking online IP reputation services reveals that they have been used by malware operators in the past.
No, North Korea Didn’t Hack Sony|Marc Rogers|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for malware

malware

/ (ˈmælwɛə) /

noun

a computer program designed specifically to damage or disrupt a system, such as a virus

Word Origin for malware

C20: from mal (icious) + (soft) ware

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for malware

malware

[ măl′wâr′ ]

Software that is written and distributed for malicious purposes, such as impairing or destroying computer systems. Computer viruses are malware.