Varieties of Malware: Essential Knowledge to Protect Your Devices

July. 16,2025

Discover the different types of malware that pose threats to your devices. Learn about viruses, ransomware, fileless malware, and mobile threats. This guide offers insights for better device protection and staying safe online.

Varieties of Malware: Essential Knowledge to Protect Your Devices

Varieties of Malware: Essential Knowledge to Protect Your Devices

Malware, short for malicious software, encompasses various harmful programs that infect and damage computers without user permission. These include viruses, worms, spyware, Trojans, and rootkits. Cyber threats and malware pose significant risks to online security today.

History of Malware
With the advent of the internet in the early 1990s, malware quickly evolved alongside it. Initially spread through email attachments, floppy disks, and CD-ROMs, malware's methods have become more sophisticated over time.

Varieties of Malware to Watch Out For
Spam emails facilitated malware spreading, especially when users lacked protection. Early malware caused data loss, hard drive corruption, and disruptive pop-ups. Some attacks, like Casino Disk Destroyer, paved the way for modern malware threats.
Malware has evolved, with creators combining features for more destructive effects, often disguising ransomware as a distraction to hide Trojan activities.
  • Wiper malware aims to delete or wipe all data, targeting networks and systems. Examples include Mamba, Stonedrill, and the notorious Petya ransomware, which caused widespread damage without restoring data post-ransom.
  • With the rise of cryptocurrency, malware purveyors extort ransom payments in Bitcoin. The Smominru botnet, controlling over 500,000 systems, has earned millions by mining cryptocurrencies surreptitiously.
  • Fileless malware exploits vulnerabilities without traditional downloads, using system memory and scripts to infect devices covertly. This method evades many antivirus defenses, making it difficult to detect.
  • Mobile malware is rising with smartphones and tablets. Hackers target personal data, monitor locations, access cameras, and cause privacy breaches, exploiting the vast amount of data stored on mobile devices.
Note:
This blog provides a broad overview of various malware types and their threats. The information aims to educate readers but should not be considered exhaustive or definitive. The website is not responsible for differences or inaccuracies across sources. Always stay updated with the latest security practices to protect your digital assets.