What does "disabling" refer to in the context of malware techniques?

Disabling, in the context of malware techniques, specifically refers to the act of shutting down or interrupting anti-virus software. This tactic allows the malware to operate undetected and carry out its malicious activities without being hindered by security measures designed to identify and neutralize threats. By disabling the protective mechanisms of the operating system, the malware can more easily infect a system, steal data, or perform other harmful actions.

This technique is critical for malware authors as it increases the chance of the malware’s success by preventing security software from scanning, detecting, or stopping the malicious code from executing. Without the interference of anti-virus software, the malware can function at full capacity, rendering the system more vulnerable to exploitation.

The other options relate to different aspects of malware operation but do not define what "disabling" refers to in this context. Altering the system clock, for instance, may be used as a time-based trick to evade detection or to manipulate scheduled tasks but does not directly correlate to the act of disabling security software. Obfuscating code is a method used to conceal the true nature of the malware, making it harder for analysts to detect and reverse-engineer, but again, does not encapsulate the meaning of disabling. Installing secondary malware may follow