What type of software is categorized as malware?

Malware, which stands for malicious software, is defined as any software intentionally designed to cause damage to a computer, server, client, or computer network. This includes a wide variety of harmful programs such as viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, spyware, and adware.

The correct answer highlights that malware is often spread by individuals through various methods, including websites, email attachments, and chat messages. This distribution method exploits human behavior and can trick users into unknowingly downloading and installing harmful software on their systems. By disguising itself as legitimate content or applications, malware can infiltrate devices and networks, leading to data theft, system damage, or unauthorized access.

In contrast, web browsers are essential tools for accessing the internet and are not categorized as malware. Antivirus software plays a crucial role in protecting systems from malware by detecting and removing malicious software, and utility software serves various functionalities to optimize and manage computer resources, neither of which are designed for harming systems.