Malware is what many people (even IT professionals) commonly but mistakenly call viruses. Malware is short for “malicious software” and includes many forms that you can read about in the links below.

Protection against malware started with the first form of malware, which are viruses. Antivirus software has grown to protect against some additional forms of malware even though they still refer to themselves as antivirus software. This is likely the reason most generally call most malware viruses.

Additional malware protection varies with the antivirus software because of legal issues and the difficulty involved in protection against all forms of malware. For these reasons, protection must include both antivirus and anti-spyware software.

Trusted Piplelines Definitions for Malware Terms
TP Defines Malware Terms

Viruses and Worms
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Spyware/Adware
Links explaining Spyware and what to use to remove it.