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What is Computer Virus?
Computer viruses are small software programs that are designed to spread from one computer to another and to interfere with computer operation.
By definition, a virus program is able to replicate itself. This means that the virus multiplies on a computer by making copies of itself.
How It Spreads?
Computer viruses are often spread by attachments in email messages or instant messaging messages. That is why it is essential that you never open email attachments unless you know who it is from and you are expecting it.
Viruses can be spread as attachments of funny images, greeting cards, or audio and video files.
Computer viruses also spread through downloads from the Internet. They can be hidden in illicit software or other files or programs you might download,
Impact of Virus on Computers
A computer virus might corrupt or delete data on your computer. It can use your email program to spread itself to other computers, or even erase everything on your hard disk.
Viruses commonly have the following effects on computers:
• Destruction/theft of data, and malicious access to the computer resources.
• Computers become slow while working.
• Unusual messages are displayed.
• It hangs the system frequently.
• Deletes and damages the files in the system.
• Prevents software to run.
Types of computer viruses
Bootsector Virus
A virus that affects the boot sector area of hard disk. This virus is normally spread by floppy disks. It becomes active at the time of booting the system.
Macro Virus
Macro viruses are viruses that use another application's macro programming language to distribute themselves. They infect documents such as MS Word or MS Excel and are typically spread to other similar documents.
Memory Resident Viruses
Memory Resident Viruses reside in a computers volatile memory (RAM). They are initiated from a virus which runs on the computer and they stay in memory after it's initiating program closes.
Trojan Horse
A Trojan horse program has the appearance of having a useful and desired function. It neither replicates nor copies itself. It can spread only when it is copied to another system. The malicious functionality of a Trojan Horse may be anything undesirable for a computer user, including data destruction or compromising a system by providing a means for another computer to gain access.
Worms
A worm is a malicious program that duplicates itself. They fill up the disks space and make your computer slow.
E-mail Viruses
These viruses are spread through e-mail attachments. Attachments can have funny images, greeting cards, or audio and video files.
Logic Bombs/Time Bombs
These viruses are programmed to initiate at a specific date or when a specific event occurs. Some examples are a virus which deletes your photos on Halloween, or a virus which deletes a database table if a certain employee gets fired.
Spyware
It is a software when installed on computer, collects various personal information about the users without their knowledge such as e-mail addresses, passwords, netbanking and even credit card numbers and transmit the information to someone else.
Prevention Against Viruses
To prevent virus attack one should follow the few tips:
• Always scan the pen drive before copying files.
• Don't install pirated software.
• Take backup of the important data every day/every week.
• Don't open any unknown e-mail attachments.
• Scan your computer on specific intervals.
Protection Against Viruses
To help avoid computer viruses, it's essential that you keep your computer updated with antivirus tools, stay informed about recent threats.
Once a virus is on your computer, it is important to remove it and prevent further infection.
What is Antivirus?
Antivirus software is a computer program that detects, prevents, and takes action to disarm or remove viruses and worms. You can help protect your computer against viruses by using antivirus software.
Some of the popular antivirus softwares are:
Norton Antivirus, AVG Antivirus, Quick heal Antivirus
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