dropper

A dropper is a device or container designed to dispense small quantities of liquid in controlled amounts. The traditional dropper consists of a glass or plastic tube with a rubber bulb on one end; squeezing the bulb draws liquid into the tube and releasing it deposits droplets through a narrow opening. Droppers come in various forms, including eye droppers, dropper bottles, and transfer or Pasteur pipettes, and they are used to measure and transfer liquids with precision.

In medicine and cosmetics, dropper bottles are used to administer eye drops, ear drops, and various liquid medicines, providing a convenient and controlled dose. In laboratories, droppers and pipettes enable the manual transfer of reagents, solvents, dyes, or other liquids. They are common in science classrooms, pharmacies, and hobbyist settings, and may be graduated or marked to indicate volume.

In computing and information security, a dropper has a different meaning. A malware dropper is a small program whose primary purpose is to install or “drop” additional, more complex malware onto a victim system. Droppers may be delivered via phishing emails, compromised websites, or bundled with legitimate software, and they often try to avoid detection while laying the groundwork for further compromise.

Common safety and quality considerations include using sterile equipment for medical or laboratory use, ensuring proper disposal of fragile glass droppers, and exercising security best practices to recognize and block suspicious software droppers.