Why do people create viruses and malware?

Why do people create viruses and malware?

Answer

There are thousands and thousands of different viruses and malware on the Internet today. So, you may be asking, why do people create viruses and malware?

There are three primary reasons why they create them:

1. To make money.
2. To steal account information.
3. To cause problems and trouble for others.

Making money

A lot of viruses and malware found on computers don't really harm the computer all that much, other than slow it down. This type of malware is designed to capture information about the computer user and send it to the person or company responsible for making the malware. The information they collect is then used to target advertisements to your computer that you may be interested in viewing. These type of ads come in the form of e-mails and pop ups on your computer.

Their intent is to at least get you to view the websites the ads are for, which they earn money from if they are visited or when you buy something from those websites. The more ads they send out, the more chances they have of you checking the websites out and possibly buying something. Sometimes, all it takes is one virus or malware program to generate hundreds, or even thousands, of ads sent your way over a short period of time.

In addition to targeting ads, the information they collect about your browsing habits can also be sold.

Stealing account information

With the popularity of online games and virtual goods and the real life value attached to those virtual goods malware may be created to steal online account information associated with online games. By creating this type of malware a person could gain access to an infected persons account, log into that account, and then steal all their virtual goods and currency to sell to other players for real money.

Causing problems and trouble

On the other side of the spectrum, there are those people that create viruses and malware because they can. They enjoy causing trouble, seeing computer users get annoyed and have to fix their computer. Some malware can crash an entire network system and cause system outages for large companies, like banks or production companies.

In the end, it's the thrill of seeing the havoc and chaos they can create that drives them to create more viruses and malware.

What can you do?

Your best defense against malware and spyware is to keep your computer updated and to make sure you have an updated and active anti-virus and anti-spyware/malware program installed on your computer. Additionally, always be cautious of e-mail attachments, even if it is from someone you know.