What is a logic bomb?

A logic bomb is defined as a dormant piece of malicious code that remains inactive until certain predefined conditions are met. When these conditions are triggered, the logic bomb activates and executes its payload, which can vary from corrupting files, deleting data, or other harmful actions. The essence of a logic bomb lies in its reliance on these specific triggers, which can be based on date and time, user actions, or other system states.

In contrast, a program that always runs in the background typically refers to processes that support ongoing functions within an operating system or application, which doesn't align with the concept of a logic bomb that lies inactive. A tool for backing up data serves a protective purpose and does not represent a malicious intent, while a security feature of operating systems refers to protective measures against threats rather than a harmful action like that of a logic bomb.