Which term describes a malware that tricks the user into infecting themselves?

The correct term that describes malware designed to trick users into infecting themselves is a Trojan. A Trojan appears to be a legitimate or benign program but, when executed, can perform harmful actions, such as installing additional malware, stealing data, or opening backdoors for other attacks. Users often unknowingly download and execute Trojans because they are disguised as useful applications or tools, leading to self-infliction of the malware.

Worms, on the other hand, are standalone malware that replicate themselves to spread to other systems without needing user interaction. A virus attaches itself to files and requires user action to spread, but it doesn’t generally trick users into downloading it under false pretenses.

Easter Eggs refer to hidden features or messages in software and are not malware, so they do not fit the description of tricking users into self-infection. Understanding these distinctions is critical for recognizing how different types of malware operate and how they might exploit user behavior.