What was the effect of malware becoming more sophisticated?

The evolution of malware into a vast family of similar files reflects how attackers have adapted their strategies to enhance the effectiveness and evade detection. As malware has become more sophisticated, it has often branched into various forms, targeting different vulnerabilities while maintaining core functionalities. This evolution can include modifications that allow variants to bypass traditional security measures, leading to a diverse set of files that can exploit similar weaknesses in systems.

This adaptation has resulted in a complicated landscape where a single original malware type may lead to numerous derivatives, each with different capabilities or targeting specific platforms, increasing the overall threat landscape significantly. As attackers innovate, they often produce new variants that can operate more stealthily or carry out attacks in ways that are less likely to trigger alarms, demonstrating the challenges security professionals face in combating these threats.

In contrast, traditional antivirus software may struggle as malware evolves, and while antivirus solutions were indeed developed in response to initial malware threats, the situation described in the correct answer illustrates the ongoing and dynamic nature of malware development.