Malicious software, commonly called malware, refers to a computer program designed to perform harmful operations on a computer without the owner or user’s knowledge. Malware’s malicious actions can include collecting browsing data and extracting information stored on the device’s hard drive. Additionally, malware can be programmed to send spam emails from the infected person’s email accounts. Typically, malware infiltrates a computer system when the user downloads it, believing it to be a harmless application.