: software designed to interfere with a computer's normal functioning
Examples of malware in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The vulnerability is a local privilege escalation, meaning it can be chained to a separate vulnerability to give users or processes with low-level privileges the ability to defeat OS protections and gain full SYSTEM rights needed to install malware.
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Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026
The platform also includes unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, free SSL certificates, SSD-powered hosting, malware scanning, CDN support, backups, and one-click staging environments for testing site updates safely.
—Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 6 June 2026
But in the digital world, any information stored there could be accessed by others through hacking or malware.
—William Jones, USA Today, 3 June 2026
For most people, there's a higher likelihood of being targeted through a phishing scam like an email containing links to malware or fraudulent websites to extract personal information, Cappos said.
—Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for malware
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Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026
The platform also includes unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, free SSL certificates, SSD-powered hosting, malware scanning, CDN support, backups, and one-click staging environments for testing site updates safely.
—Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 6 June 2026
But in the digital world, any information stored there could be accessed by others through hacking or malware.
—William Jones, USA Today, 3 June 2026
For most people, there's a higher likelihood of being targeted through a phishing scam like an email containing links to malware or fraudulent websites to extract personal information, Cappos said.
—Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for malware
Cite this Entry
“Malware.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malware. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
malware
noun
: software designed to interfere with a computer's normal functioning
Legal Definition
malware
noun
mal·ware
ˈmal-ˌwer 
: software that is designed to interfere with a computer's normal functioning and that can be used to commit cybercrime (as by revealing passwords, PINs, and other sensitive data)
Etymology
mal- bad + software
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