Malware
Macro Virus
Also known as: Office macro malware, VBA virus
Definition
A virus written in the macro language of an office application that runs when an infected document is opened and macros are enabled.
Examples
- The 1999 Melissa virus spreading via infected Word documents.
- Modern phishing campaigns delivering Emotet or Qakbot through malicious Excel macros.
Related terms
Computer Virus
Malicious code that inserts copies of itself into other programs or files and executes when the host is run.
Phishing
A social-engineering attack in which an attacker impersonates a trusted party to trick a victim into revealing credentials, transferring money, or running malware.
Fileless Malware
Malware that runs primarily in memory and leverages trusted system tools, avoiding the use of traditional executable files on disk.
Dropper
Malware whose role is to install ("drop") another malicious payload onto a target system, often after evading initial detection.
Loader
Malware that prepares the environment and loads further payloads — often directly into memory — for a subsequent stage of an attack.
Trojan Horse
Malware that disguises itself as a legitimate program to trick users into running it, delivering a hidden malicious payload.