The digital world not only brought with it a large number of benefits such as making our lives much easier, it also brought with it great risks. And it is that the digital world has also become a place for hackers and cyber criminals. One of the ways that hackers and cybercriminals have sought to break into computers and cause damage is through malware. Within the malicious programs we find different types such as malware and spyware. Here we will tell you what are the differences between these programs.
First things first: What is Malware?
The word Malware is just another way of referring to a malicious program or whose purpose is to damage. The main characteristic of these programs is that they have bad intentions because they only seek to cause damage, whether it is stealing information, inserting viruses, etc. One way to understand malware is as the general classification of all malicious programs. Any program that is intended to harm will go here. That is why we find many
types of malware. There is malware whose intention is to steal your information, programs to infect computers and much more. So spyware, in a way, is malware.
And what are Spyware?
Now that you know that malware is a program whose intention is to cause harm, and that it groups different types, you should know that it is Spyware. Spyware is malicious programs whose intent is to steal your information and spy on you. Spyware is used as a way to enter your computer and collect all the information from it and then redirect it to a third party. For example, spyware can focus on collecting passwords that are then sent to a third party in order to gain access to your accounts.
Differences between a Spyware and a Malware
The objective of Spyware and Malware are different from each other. A malware, for example, has different intentions, there is malware to spy on, to cause damage to equipment, to delete information or to hijack equipment. This makes the uses or objectives are varied. On the other hand, Spyware is malware whose purpose is to steal your information and spy on you, so it turns out to be more specific. Spyware only has the task of spying, not deleting information, not spamming you. So, they're not that versatile.
Another point that you should take into account is the fact that spyware turns out to be much more invisible than malware. A spyware, like a spy, is thinking to stay hidden and invisible to security systems. On the other hand, viruses are slightly more visible. This is because when executed they consume many more resources. There is
computer virus infection symptoms that will help you detect them. Similarly, their programming often leaves clues that make it easy for antivirus to find them. In addition, of course, the low performance in your team.
Spyware has a discreet installation process, since it can be activated by other programs. In this way, it is not necessary to use specific installers to be able to place it on your computer. This means that, as we mentioned in the previous point, it is an almost invisible type of malware. Malware, especially viruses, require a much more complex installation process, which requires an installer, just like any other program. This installer cannot be executed through another program, but it is the same user who must download and activate it. This makes the infection process more complex.
A virus like malware has the ability to replicate, just like a real virus, in order to spread and infect new areas of your computer. For example, a virus can move through different folders eating files and damaging your operating system. Spyware does the opposite because this program remains frozen, it can neither replicate nor move throughout the computer. Let's say it's a spy behind the shadows on a lookout post who can't move. This can give you an advantage by staying hidden, but it can also make it easier to remove.
Spyware limits its damage to espionage, that is, it is only responsible for stealing your information and nothing else. While this is dangerous, the potential scope of damage is limited compared to all the variants of malware. For example, there are viruses whose only objective is to slow down our computer, but there are also others whose purpose is to eat files and delete information. There are even viruses whose damage potential is so enormous that they cost millions, just read about Ransomware and how they hijack entire companies.
How to protect yourself from malware and spyware?
There are many ways to protect yourself from a virus and spyware, in fact, many times it is the sum of different actions. And it is that the more measures we take, the more solid our defense will be against all the risks that we face on the network. Using an antivirus is one of the best ways to protect your computer. These are responsible for avoiding infections, but also for eliminating them. Today there are many options even free, for example,
try the trial period of a good antivirus totally free. After the period you can buy it. In addition, there are antivirus of all prices. Taking good care of what files you download and where you browse is another essential way to protect your computer. All malware comes from somewhere with the most common sources being file download sites, adult pages, and bogus websites. We also advise you to be very careful with emails, especially those that are from unreliable sources. This is because a common way to introduce malware and spyware is through Phishing and infected files. Take into account that a good antivirus could easily prevent this situation.