### Comment:
What are the potential consequences of a malware infection?

### REPLY:
Once a system is infected with malware, the attacker gains control over the compromised device, allowing them to harvest sensitive information such as login credentials, credit card details, and personal data. This information can then be used for identity theft, financial fraud, or sold on the dark web. Additionally, the infected system can be used as a launching pad for further attacks, such as distributing spam emails, launching DDoS attacks, or spreading the malware to other devices in the network.