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What Is Malware

Start with the fundamentals of malware through beginner-friendly articles that explain what malicious software is, how it infects systems, and why it remains one of the most persistent cybersecurity threats. This tag provides essential knowledge for anyone building their security awareness.

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Malware

What Is Malware? A Security Pro's Field Guide for 2025

A Single Click Cost MGM Resorts $100 Million In September 2023, a threat actor called Scattered Spider used social engineering to trick an MGM Resorts help desk employee into resetting credentials. Within hours, they deployed malware across MGM's network — crippling hotel check-ins, slot machines, and digital room keys

Carl B. Johnson Jan 06, 2025 7 min read
Malware

What Is Malware? A Security Pro's Field Guide

In February 2023, the U.S. Marshals Service confirmed a major ransomware attack that compromised sensitive law enforcement data — including personally identifiable information and internal legal documents. A federal agency with dedicated security staff and government-grade infrastructure still got hit. If you're running a business without those resources,

Carl B. Johnson Apr 10, 2023 7 min read
Malware

What Is Malware? A Security Pro's Real-World Guide

The Colonial Pipeline Attack Changed Everything In May 2021, a single compromised password led to the most disruptive cyberattack on U.S. critical infrastructure in history. DarkSide ransomware shut down Colonial Pipeline's 5,500-mile fuel system, triggering gas shortages across the eastern seaboard. The company paid a $4.

Carl B. Johnson Sep 16, 2021 7 min read
Malware

What Is Malware? A Security Pro's Real-World Guide

The Attack That Shut Down 100 Romanian Hospitals In February 2024, a ransomware attack hit over 100 hospitals across Romania, forcing them offline and back to pen-and-paper operations. Patient data was encrypted. Emergency services were disrupted. The attack vector? Malware that slipped through a single vulnerable system and spread laterally

Carl B. Johnson May 08, 2020 7 min read
Malware

What Is Malware? A Security Pro's Field Guide for 2026

In 2023, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received over 880,000 complaints with potential losses exceeding $12.5 billion — a 22% increase from the year before. A massive share of those incidents started with a single piece of malicious software landing on someone's machine.

Carl B. Johnson Jul 20, 2019 7 min read