Last Updated on April 13, 2025 by Mathew Diekhake
Malware is any scam that uses software developed to maliciously attack a computer. If a site has malware, it means that it has malicious software that it installs on your computer if you were to visit it. Note that malware may not automatically be installed at the first visit of the homepage; often it takes downloading a file or visiting a particular webpage on a website. Some examples of malware include Trojans, adware, browser hijackers, Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs), spyware, keyloggers, computer viruses, ransomware, and computer worms. Numerous other types of malware are software.
All malware is malicious but not all malicious sites are infected with malware. For instance, an illegitimate site may steal your sensitive information such as credit card details if you are using a scam site.
You may also be interested in learning what is a malicious website.
Antivirus/Antimalware Protection
You need high-grade antivirus protection to browse the internet in general. Some antimalware is also endpoint security that blocks it from installing on your desktop or laptop. Windows operating systems have Microsoft Defender (formerly Windows Defender) now with cloud-delivered protection, tamper protection, and periodic scanning to give you all the protection you need. But there are excellent third-party alternatives such as Malwarebytes and Spybot Search and Destory that work equally as well.