Every time you open an e-mail, click a link or plug in a USB stick, you invite outside code onto your machine. Most of it is harmless or even helpful—but a small slice is written to steal, spy, or simply break things for fun. This article walks you through every common negative term you're likely to hear, from "virus" to "zero-day," in simple, human language. By the end you'll know what the threats are, how they get in, and what you can do to keep them out. 1. Malware: the bad programs themselves Malware = "malicious software." It's an umbrella word for any program that does something you wouldn't want. Term What it means in one sentence Virus A hitch-hiker that hides inside another file; when you open that file it runs and copies itself into more files. Worm A self-propelled program that jumps from one computer to another over the network—no file needed, no human clicks required. Trojan horse Software that looks usefu...
A cog in a wheel