If you use a computer and specific programs, you\'re probably already familiar with computer viruses or Trojans that infect our computers or cell phones. Perhaps you\'ve seen the word ransomware, which translates to data theft, or spyware, referring to espionage. Whatever term you\'ve encountered, it will always be malware. There are various types, and we\'ll explain them in detail here. The concept of malware comes from the words "malicious" and "software," referring to "malicious software," that is, any software or program designed to be harmful or malicious. The damage or impact can vary depending on the type of malware and its objective; therefore, we need to classify them. There are several classifications, and they have differences. We\'ll explain the most well-known:

Adware

Its objective is to display ads to try to trick you into installing other software or, alternatively, to steal your information through deceptive forms and websites.

Spyware

Its purpose is to monitor a device\'s activities and send a report of them. It is silent malware that runs without the user\'s authorization.

Viruses

They are usually attached to another program or file. When executed, the virus is activated and begins replicating itself to other files or programs to remain alive on the computer. Their objective is to delete or destroy information.

Worms

They are similar to viruses, seeking to replicate to survive. The difference with a virus is that a worm seeks to spread across a network to infect other computers and does not need to be attached to a file or program to spread. Their objective is to destroy information.

Trojans

They masquerade as another program to trick the user into installing it. Their objective is to be used as a means of infection and other threats such as viruses, worms, spyware, ransomware, keyloggers, or rootkits.

Ransomware

It retains information, blocks the user\'s access to the device, encrypts files, and then demands a ransom for their release.

Rootkit

It\'s similar to spyware; in addition to monitoring and reporting user actions, it also allows the attacker to take control of the computer or cell phone.

Keylogger

This records everything a person types, usually to share it with the attacker. It\'s a technique for acquiring data such as usernames and passwords.

Exploits

This type of malware takes advantage of errors or bugs in the code of other software. If a program has a programming error, an attacker can create another program (exploit) that takes advantage of the vulnerability to cause damage.