Malware
Umbrella term for any kind of malicious software: viruses, trojans, worms, ransomware, spyware, adware.
Malware (malicious software) is the umbrella term for any software intended to harm a device, data, or user. This includes viruses, trojans, worms, ransomware, spyware, adware, and rootkits.
A modern antivirus suite detects malware via signatures, heuristics, and cloud reputation in real time.
Why this matters in 2026
The umbrella term malware covers around 1.3 billion known samples in 2026 (AV-TEST database). Some 450,000 new samples appear daily – almost all as variants of existing families. Real innovation is rarer and traded for high prices underground.
How to protect yourself
A modern antivirus suite with real-time scanning, behavioural detection and cloud reputation covers 99.5–99.8% of malware hits (AV-TEST). The rest is handled by an up-to-date OS, browser sandbox and minimal admin rights. Which AV fits best depends on profile and platform – see our comparison.