BharatNotes Malware
noun (uncountable / mass noun)Usage in a UPSC answer
As critical public services migrate to digital platforms, a single strain of ransomware-class malware can paralyse hospitals and power grids overnight, underscoring why cyber-security must be treated as a core dimension of national security rather than a mere technical afterthought.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
No standard derived forms
Root
Coined/Modern: portmanteau of malicious + software; first recorded 1990; no classical root
Etymology
A portmanteau of malicious + software; the term was first recorded in 1990 and gained widespread use during the 1990s as internet-connected computer threats proliferated.
Memory Hook
Break it into MAL + WARE: "mal-" means bad or evil (as in malice, malign), and "-ware" means software, so malware is literally "bad-ware" -- evil goods built to wreck your machine.
Seen in UPSC Question Papers
- Prelims 2024 — Internal Security
Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Malware” — proof this word earns its place on your list.
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