AQA · GCSE · Computer Science
Course version: 8525 · Version from Sept 2020
Malicious code (malware): Define the term malware.
Malware is software written or modified to cause harm, gain unauthorised access or otherwise act against the interests of the user or system.
Checked against the AQA 8525 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 1 of 7
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Malware is software written or modified to cause harm, gain unauthorised access or otherwise act against the interests of the user or system. A definition should identify it as software (code, a program or file that runs on a system) and give its hostile or intrusive purpose. Contrast it with a fault: a program that crashes because of a bug is faulty, not malware, because no hostile intent is built in. Contrast it with a user error: deleting a file by accident is not malware. A useful test is to ask whether the code was designed to do something the owner would not want, such as corrupting files, spying on activity or locking data until payment. Keep the answer to the two essential elements: it is software, and it is designed to be harmful or intrusive.
What earns the marks
- Identifies malware as software, code or a program (not hardware, not a person).
- States that it is designed to be hostile, harmful, intrusive or to gain unauthorised access.
- Distinguishes malware from accidental damage, user error or a simple software bug.
- Recognises that malware is an umbrella term covering several types rather than one single program.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Describing malware as a physical fault in the hardware.
Put it right by stating it is software.
Confusing malware with a harmless bug that causes a crash.
Put it right by noting malware has a hostile or intrusive purpose.
Treating malware as one specific program.
Put it right by explaining it is a general category covering many forms.
Exam tips
- Write the definition in one sentence containing both 'software' and 'harmful or intrusive'.
- Add a one-line contrast with a bug or accidental deletion to show the boundary.
- If asked for a definition, do not list types of malware instead of defining the term.
Try the lesson
The start of the Malicious code (malware): Define the term malware. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which description best defines the term malware?
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