Different Types of Computer Viruses

Computer viruses have been around since the inception of personal computing. They are a malicious digital programs that are created with the purpose of causing harm to a computer’s software or hardware, as well as any data stored on it. They can enter a system in a number of ways, including via an infected file downloaded from the internet, a rogue email attachment, or by exploiting vulnerabilities in installed programs. Although it is often difficult to detect a virus in a computer system, the effects of a virus can be damaging and far-reaching. Therefore, it is important to understand the various types of computer viruses and how to protect a computer from them.

What is a Computer Virus? 

A computer virus is a malicious piece of code, usually attached to another program or file, designed to spread from one computer system to another. When the attached program or file is executed, the virus code is activated and it begins to replicate itself, infecting other programs and files on the system. It may also perform other malicious activities, such as deleting or corrupting files, or disrupting the system’s performance.

History of Computer Viruses 

The first computer viruses appeared in the late 1970s, with the earliest known virus being a boot sector virus called “Brain”. This virus was created by two Pakistani brothers in a magazine article, and caused infected systems to display the message “Welcome to the Dungeon” when a bootable floppy disk was inserted.

Other viruses soon followed, including the Jerusalem virus in the 1980s and the Melissa virus in the late 1990s. These viruses were spread via email and caused infected systems to crash or slow down significantly.

Types of Computer Viruses 

Computer viruses can be classified into several different types, depending on their characteristics and behavior. Some of the most common types of computer viruses include:

  1. Macro Viruses: Macro viruses are written in scripting languages such as Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) and are written using macros that are embedded in documents and spreadsheets. Macros are instruction sets which enable users to automate tasks in a program, such as copying data from one cell to another. When a macro virus is activated, it will execute its malicious code, often causing corrupt files or disruption of system processes.

  2. Boot Sector Viruses: Boot sector viruses are malicious programs that are installed in the boot sector or master boot record (MBR) of a computer’s hard drive. When a computer boots up, the virus is activated and it can damage or corrupt the boot sector and any other files it locates.

  3. File-Infecting Viruses: File-infecting viruses are malicious programs that attach themselves to files and replicate themselves to other files when the infected file is copied or moved. They cause damage by corrupting the infected files, making them unusable.

  4. Ransomware: Ransomware is a malicious program that encrypts the data on a system, making it inaccessible to the user until a specified sum of money is paid to the creator of the virus. Ransomware viruses are usually spread via malicious emails or web links and can rapidly spread through a network if they are not dealt with quickly.

  5. Worms: Worms are malicious programs that self-replicate and spread themselves to other computers, consuming system resources and slowing down or crashing the infected computer in the process. They are usually spread through emails, file-sharing websites, or other malicious web links.

  6. Trojan Horses: A Trojan horse is a malicious program that appears to be something beneficial or innocuous, but which is designed to do something malicious when it is installed. They are usually spread through malicious websites, email attachments, or file-sharing sites and can give an attacker unauthorized access to a system.

Protecting Your Computer from Computer Viruses 

The most effective way to protect your computer from computer viruses is to keep your operating system, web browser and other programs up to date with the latest security patches. In addition, avoid downloading files or clicking links from unknown sources, as these could contain a virus. Installing an anti-virus program can also help to detect and remove virus infections in a system.

Computer viruses are malicious programs that are designed to spread from one computer system to another, causing damage to data or software in the process. There are a number of different types of computer viruses, each of which has its own unique characteristics and behavior. To protect your computer from virus infections, it is important to keep your system up to date with the latest security patches and to only open files or click links from known sources. Additionally, installing an anti-virus program can help to detect and eradicate any virus infections before they can cause too much damage.

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