Which statement best describes malware such as ransomware?

• A. It is software licensed by vendors.
• B. It is security software for protection.
• C. It is software designed to cause harm; ransomware encrypts data for ransom.
• D. It is a networking protocol.

Answer: (C)

Malware is software created to cause harm or gain unauthorized access to systems. Ransomware is a type of malware that locks or encrypts your files and then demands payment to restore access. So the statement that describes it as software designed to cause harm, with ransomware encrypting data for ransom, matches what ransomware does. The other descriptions don’t fit: licensed software from vendors is just ordinary software, security software protects systems (not harms), and a networking protocol is a communication standard, not malware.