Malware, phishing, spyware and viruses – what’s the difference?

By: Sam Geary, Marketing Executive

Malware, phishing, spyware. These are all terms you’ve probably heard of, but you might not know what the difference is between each of them…

This is understandable considering Hollywood films seem pretty happy to use them interchangeably. You know… where the bad guys are attempting to take down a government with a ‘virus’ or ‘malware’.

Below is a comprehensive look at the difference between these four terms, so next time you go to see the latest blockbuster you can roll your eyes at the use of the wrong term.

Malware

The word ‘malware’ is essentially an umbrella term for a whole range of malicious software. In fact, that’s where the term comes from. It’s a combination of the words ‘malicious’ and ‘software’.

This means malware can include viruses, trojans, adware, spyware, ransomware and all other kinds of malicious programs. This is why you hear malware so often on the news.

Each type of malware does something slightly different, but usually the aim is to make money. Ransomware, for example, encrypts your files and makes you pay to have them decrypted and spyware. Each type of malware differs but we’ll go into detail about that in another blog.

Phishing

… Phishing isn’t actually software, it’s a method of acquiring information. This can involve using malware of course, but the term phishing refers to the actual process of attempting to get information from someone.

Phishing often involves e-mails containing links to websites that are infected with malware. These emails often imitate legitimate companies in order to trick people into clicking on their links or responding with personal information such as passwords and credit card details. Phishing scams are getting more and more believable and therefore difficult to spot- so beware!

Spyware

Spyware is a type of malware that, once installed on a computer, collects information without you knowing. Spyware can be difficult to detect, so it can be almost impossible to know you’ve been the victim of a spyware scam.

You can inadvertently install spyware on your PC by opening a webpage that’s been infected with malware, possibly as a result of receiving a phishing email.

One of the most common forms of spyware is a keylogger which records everything you type on your PC, including usernames, passwords, and bank details.

Viruses

The term virus is actually starting to fall out of fashion. Despite being commonly used throughout the 90s and 2000s, it is slowly being pushed out by the term malware. This is because viruses are considered to be malware. The term malware is more useful because it describes a broader range of malicious programs like adware, spyware, etc.

But if you’re looking for the definition of a virus read on. Computer viruses are aptly named because they’re very much like biological viruses. Viruses are therefore a program that replicates itself in the infected computer’s memory and spreads.

True computer viruses are used far less often now that online criminals have found better ways of spreading malicious code and making money.

So, there you have it – four of the terms that are commonly confused with one another. Although only briefly described I hope this blog has given you some clarity of the terms and what damage they can cause to your IT infrastructure.

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