This document is part of my Software Engineering Fundamentals certification at Platzi.
It summarizes the main types of software, their uses, and their impact both in everyday life and in the field of cybersecurity.
Software is the computing term for a program or set of programs that manage operations within a computer.
There are different categories depending on their function and scope.
Programs designed to facilitate end-user tasks.
Examples: Google Chrome, Word, Excel, Platzi, Minecraft.
Programs intended to damage, steal, or manipulate information.
Example: Malware that captures passwords or encrypts files to demand ransom (ransomware).
Source code that anyone can use, study, modify, and distribute under collaborative licenses.
Example: Ubuntu.
Closed-source code, distributed under restrictive licenses that limit modification or redistribution.
Examples: Windows, commercial applications.
Includes drivers and operating systems that allow interaction between hardware and the user.
Examples: Windows OS, macOS, Linux.
Languages and environments used to create other programs, translating human instructions into the machine’s binary language.
Examples: Python, Java, C++.
- Download software only from official or trusted sources.
- Keep the operating system and applications updated.
- Avoid unknown external devices (e.g., USB drives) that may contain malicious software.
Knowing the types of software is not just an academic matter: it means understanding the entire ecosystem where both productivity and vulnerabilities occur.
For anyone advancing toward cybersecurity, understanding these categories is essential: every application installed, every driver, and every programming language is a door that can open opportunities—or risks.
This is the third learning documented in my technical portfolio on GitHub.
I will continue recording each step of my journey in programming and cybersecurity here.
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🌐 Languages: Spanish (native), English C1 (advanced professional)
