What type of malware is designed to impersonate legitimate software?

A Trojan Horse is a type of malware that disguises itself as legitimate software or is embedded in legitimate software to deceive users into installing it. Once activated, it can perform malicious actions without the user's knowledge, such as stealing data, creating backdoors for further attacks, or damaging system integrity. This form of malware leverages the user's trust in legitimate programs, often appearing to be helpful or necessary applications, which increases the likelihood of the user downloading or executing it.

In contrast, ransomware is specifically designed to encrypt files and demand payment for restoring access, while worms replicate themselves across networks without needing user interaction. Spyware focuses primarily on observing and collecting data from systems and users without consent. These distinctions clarify why the Trojan Horse is the correct answer, highlighting its unique method of operation in masquerading as trusted software.