What type of software is typically considered to be malware?

Malware, short for malicious software, is designed to harm or exploit any programmable device, service, or network. Trojans and viruses fall under this category because they are specifically designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to computers and networks.

Trojans often masquerade as legitimate software to trick users into installing them, while viruses are designed to replicate themselves and spread to other systems. Both types of software are harmful and are explicitly created to inflict damage or steal information, aligning perfectly with the definition of malware.

In contrast, the other types of software listed—system software, utility software, and application software—serve legitimate, constructive purposes in computer operations and do not inherently possess malicious intent. System software manages hardware components and allows other software to run, utility software helps maintain and optimize computer performance, and application software enables users to perform tasks like word processing or web browsing.