Episode 111: Malware Types — Virus, Worms, Keyloggers, Rootkits

This episode dives into the various types of malicious software, or malware, that technicians must be able to recognize and address. We begin with viruses, which attach to legitimate files and require user interaction to spread, then move into worms, which self-replicate across networks and can bring down systems without any user action. We explain how these differ in propagation methods and damage potential, which is a frequent point of confusion on the exam.

Next, we discuss keyloggers—software or hardware tools that silently record keystrokes to capture sensitive data—and rootkits, which deeply embed themselves into the operating system to avoid detection and persist over time. Understanding the characteristics and behaviors of each malware type is essential for selecting the correct remediation strategy. These distinctions also help when analyzing exam questions about symptoms, threats, or attack vectors. Brought to you by BareMetalCyber.com.