Malware, Viruses & Ransomware — Explained — GhostNet Fundamentals Course 07

"Malware," "virus," "ransomware" — the words sound technical and frightening. They're not, once you see how they work.

Malware is simply software written to harm or exploit you. It isn't magic and it isn't everywhere — it has three goals: your money, your data, or your computer's processing power. Once you know what it's after, the defence becomes obvious.

Malware, Viruses & Ransomware — Explained strips away the jargon and shows you exactly what each type of malware does, the four predictable routes it uses to get onto a device, and the single habit — a tested backup — that makes ransomware powerless. This is Course 07, continuing Track B: Threats & How to Spot Them, and it builds directly on the device security from Course 03 and the phishing awareness from Course 06.

What's inside

The Malware Field Guide — Six malware types explained in one breath each: virus/worm, trojan, ransomware, spyware, adware, and scareware. Know what you're looking at on sight.

The Decision Matrix — Judge risky files and actions fast. The four CORE habits that close the routes malware relies on to get in.

7 Clarity Scripts — Word-for-word what to do with a surprise attachment, a scary "infected!" pop-up, before installing any app, and — critically — exactly what to do if you're facing a live ransomware demand.

6 Self-Tests — Prove your defences actually hold, including the test almost everyone skips: retrieving a real file from your backup to confirm it works before you ever need it.

What you'll know by the last page

You'll be able to name the main malware types on sight, recognise the four routes they use to reach a device, spot the warning signs of an infection, and have a tested, working backup in place. That's a confident baseline on malware awareness — built in under an hour.

The numbers that matter

90% of malware arrives by email or a bad link — which means the habits from Course 06 already block most of it

1 in 3 ransomware victims who pay the ransom never recover their files anyway, good backup defeats most ransomware entirely — it's the single highest-value habit in this course

The four routes in — and how you already block most of them

Malware can't teleport onto a device. It travels four predictable routes: a bad link, an infected attachment, a fake app from outside official stores, or an unpatched piece of old software. If you've worked through Course 03 (device security) and Course 06 (phishing awareness), you're already closing three of these four without realising it. This course closes the last one and adds the backup that makes even a slip-up recoverable.

This course is right for you if:

You're not sure what actually separates a virus from a trojan from ransomware

You don't currently have an automatic backup running — or you have one but have never tested that it restores

You've seen a "your PC is infected" pop-up and weren't 100% sure it was fake

You want to know exactly what to do if you ever face a ransomware demand

You want practical, calm preparation rather than vague "install antivirus" advice

Course details

Format: Downloadable PDF guide

Length: 13 pages

Time to complete: 45–60 minutes

Series: Course 07 of 20 — Cyber Fundamentals by GhostNet Solutions Encryption

Track: Track B — Threats & How to Spot Them (Course 2 of 5)

Prerequisite: None — works standalone; builds on Courses 03 and 06 if you have them

Works on: Any device, any operating system

Skill level: Complete beginner — no tech background required

Part of the GhostNet Fundamentals series

This is Course 07 in a 20-part series, the second course in Track B — Threats & How to Spot Them. Course 06 taught you to recognise the phishing messages that often deliver malware; this course explains what that malware actually does once it's in, and how a single backup habit takes its power away.

Recommended next step: Course 10 — What to Do If You've Been Hacked (the full, calm recovery playbook referenced throughout this guide). Or continue sequentially with Course 08, next in Track B.