Prefix refers to an element which placed before a word in order to qualify its meaning. For example, non-, ex-, re- and so on.
When prefix 'mal-' added to the word distribution, the word formed is 'maldistribution' which refers to bad distribution.
Mal-as prefix means wrongful, ill or bad.
Whereas, other options of prefix such as:
Col- mean 'with' or 'together.'
Hyper- means to be 'over' or 'exaggeration.'