What is the difference between a Virus and Spyware?

Is the distinction largely semantic? (I.e., Spyware collects information and incidentally slow your computer down, Viruses are designed to malicious?

Answer

The difference is in how the code affects you.

The generic term for malicious software is malware. As viruses came about first, many people will use the word "virus" as the generic term. Thus you have to take a look at how the malware operates, hides, and spreads to put a more accurate term to it. Additionally, it's not always clear which category a piece of malware falls into. This is more than most people care to think about, and it's not very practical as anti-virus software cleans them off without making a large deal about the differences. The most practical use of the distinction is to know what your anti-virus and/or anti-spyware software protects you against.

Some specific types of malware:

1. Virus - attaches to files; multiplies on your computer and eats up resources


2. Rootkit - hides on your computer and may require special anti-rootkit software


3. Spyware - logs computer events


4. Trojan - masquerades as something else to get you to install it, may allow someone else to control your computer


5. Worms - spreads over networks, may damage your computer by doing things like deleting files


6. Adware - more annoying than malicious, it serves ads