Malware Discovery and Protection Malware is Short for “malicious software,” malware refers to software programs designed to damage or do other unwanted actions on a computer system; it is one of the biggest threats to computer users on the Internet today. It can hijack your browser, redirect your search attempts, serve up nasty pop-up ads, track what websites you visit, and generally screw things up. Malware programs are usually poorlyprogrammed and can cause your computer to become unbearably slow and unstable in addition to all the other havoc they wreak. Many of them will reinstall themselves even after you think you have removed them, or hide themselves deep within Windows, making them very difficult to clean. The vast majority, however, must be installed by the user. Unfortunately, getting infected with malware is usually much easier than getting rid of it, and once you get malware on your computer it tends to multiply. A Brief History of Malware With the emergence of