Virus

WHAT IS A COMPUTER VIRUS?
A computer virus attaches itself to a program or file enabling it to spread from one computer to another,

leaving infections as it travels. Like a human virus, a computer virus can range in severity: some may
cause only mildly annoying effects while others can damage your hardware, software or files. Almost all
viruses are attached to an executable file, which means the virus may exist on your computer but it
actually cannot infect your computer unless you run or open the malicious program.
It is important to note that a virus cannot be spread without a human action, (such as running an
infected program) to keep it going. Because a virus is spread by human action people will unknowingly
continue the spread of a computer virus by sharing infecting files or sending emails with viruses
as attachments in the email.
Fast Facts: Attaches to an executable file, requires human action to spread.
WHAT IS A WORM?
A worm is similar to a virus by design and is considered to be a sub-class of a virus. Worms spread from
computer to computer, but unlike a virus, it has the capability to travel without any human action. A worm
takes advantage of file or information transport features on your system, which is what allows it to travel
unaided.
The biggest danger with a worm is its capability to replicate itself on your system, so rather than your
computer sending out a single worm, it could send out hundreds or thousands of copies of itself, creating a
huge devastating effect. One example would be for a worm to send a copy of itself to everyone listed in your
e-mail address book. Then, the worm replicates and sends itself out to everyone listed in each of the
receiver’s address book, and the manifest continues on down the line.
Due to the copying nature of a worm and its capability to travel across networks the end result in most cases
is that the worm consumes too much system memory (or network bandwidth), causing Web servers, network
servers and individual computers to stop responding. In recent worm attacks such as the much-talked-about
Blaster Worm, the worm has been designed to tunnel into your system and allow malicious users to control
your computer remotely.
Fast Facts: Can replicate itself on system, does not require human action to spread.
WHAT IS A TROJAN HORSE?
A Trojan Horse is full of as much trickery as the mythological Trojan Horse it was named after. The
Trojan Horse, at first glance will appear to be useful software but will actually do damage once installed
or run on your computer. Those on the receiving end of a Trojan Horse are usually tricked into opening
them because they appear to be receiving legitimate software or files from a legitimate source.
When a Trojan is activated on your computer, the results can vary. Some Trojans are designed to be
more annoying than malicious (like changing your desktop, adding silly active desktop icons) or they can
cause serious damage by deleting files and destroying information on your system. Trojans are also
known to create a backdoor on your computer that gives malicious users access to your system, possibly
allowing confidential or personal information to be compromised. Unlike viruses and worms, Trojans do
not reproduce by infecting other files nor do they self-replicate.
What is a computer virus?

A computer virus is a malicious piece of computer code designed to spread from device
to device. A subset of malware, these self-copying threats are usually designed to
damage a device or steal data.
Think of a biological virus – the kind that makes you sick. It’s persistently nasty, keeps
you from functioning normally, and often requires something powerful to get rid of it. A
computer virus is very similar. Designed to replicate relentlessly, computer viruses infect
your programs and files, alter the way your computer operates or stop it from working
altogether.
What does a computer virus do?

Some computer viruses are programmed to harm your computer by damaging
programs, deleting files, or reformatting the hard drive. Others simply replicate
themselves or flood a network with traffic, making it impossible to perform any internet
activity. Even less harmful computer viruses can significantly disrupt your system’s
performance, sapping computer memory and causing frequent computer crashes.
Are you prepared for today’s attacks? Discover the year’s biggest
cyber threats in our annual Threat Report.
In 2013, the botnet virus Gameover ZueS was discovered to use peer-to-peer

downloading sites to distribute ransomware and commit banking fraud. While tens of
thousands of computer viruses still roam the internet, they have diversified their
methods and are now joined by a number of malware variants like worms, Trojans,
and ransomware.
How does a computer get a

virus?
Even if you’re careful, you can pick up computer viruses through normal Web activities
like:
 Sharing music, files, or photos with other users
 Visiting an infected website
 Opening spam email or an email attachment
 Downloading free games, toolbars, media players and other system utilities
 Installing mainstream software applications without thoroughly reading license
agreements
How do computer viruses

spread?
Viruses can be spread several ways, including via networks, discs, email attachments
or external storage devices like USB sticks. Since connections between devices were
once far more limited than today, early computer viruses were commonly spread
through infected floppy disks.
Today, links between internet-enabled devices are for common, providing ample
opportunities for viruses to spread. According to the U.S. Cybersecurity and
Infrastructure Security Agency, infected email attachments are the most common
means of circulating computer viruses. Most, but not all, computer viruses require a
user to take some form of action, like enabling “macros” or clicking a link, to spread.
What are the symptoms of a

computer virus?
Your computer may be infected if you recognize any of these malware symptoms:
 Slow computer performance
 Erratic computer behavior
 Unexplained data loss
 Frequent computer crashes
How are computer viruses
removed?
Antiviruses have made great progress in being able to identify and prevent the spread
of computer viruses. When a device does become infected, though, installing an
antivirus solution is still your best bet for removing it. Once installed, most software will
conduct a “scan” for the malicious program. Once located, the antivirus will present
options for its removal. If this is not something that can be done automatically, some
security vendors offer a technician’s assistance in removing the virus free of charge.
Examples of computer viruses

In 2013, the botnet virus Gameover ZueS was discovered to use peer-to-peer
downloading sites to distribute ransomware and commit banking fraud. While tens of
thousands of computer viruses still roam the internet, they have diversified their
methods and are now joined by several malware variants like:
 Worms - A worm is a type of virus that, unlike traditional viruses, usually does not
require the action of a user to spread from device to device.
 Trojans - As in the myth, a Trojan is a virus that hides within a legitimate-seeming
program to spread itself across networks or devices.
 Ransomware - Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a user’s files and
demands a ransom for its return. Ransomware can be, but isn’t necessarily,
spread through computer viruses.
Computer virus protection

When you arm yourself with information and resources, you’re wiser about computer
security threats and less vulnerable to threat tactics. Take these steps to safeguard your
PC with the best computer virus protection:
 Use antivirus protection and a firewall
 Get antispyware software
 Always keep your antivirus protection and antispyware software up-to-date
 Update your operating system regularly
 Increase your browser security settings
 Avoid questionable Websites
 Only download software from sites you trust.
 Carefully evaluate free software and file-sharing applications before downloading
them.
 Don't open messages from unknown senders
 Immediately delete messages you suspect to be spam
An unprotected computer is like an open door for computer viruses. Firewalls monitor
Internet traffic in and out of your computer and hide your PC from online scammers
looking for easy targets. Products like Webroot Internet Security Complete and Webroot
Antivirus provide complete protection from the two most dangerous threats on the
Internet – spyware and computer viruses. They prevent viruses from entering your
computer, stand guard at every possible entrance of your computer and fend off any
computer virus that tries to open, even the most damaging and devious strains.
While free antivirus downloads are available, they just can't offer the computer virus
help you need to keep up with the continuous onslaught of new strains. Previously
undetected forms of polymorphic malware can often do the most damage, so it’s critical
to have up-to-the-minute, guaranteed antivirus protection.

Virus

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Virus

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Virus

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

WHAT IS A COMPUTER VIRUS?

A computer virus attaches itself to a program or file enabling it to spread from one computer to another,

Fast Facts: Attaches to an executable file, requires human action to spread.

What is a computer virus?

What does a computer virus do?

In 2013, the botnet virus Gameover ZueS was discovered to use peer-to-peer

How does a computer get a

How do computer viruses

What are the symptoms of a

Examples of computer viruses

Computer virus protection

You might also like