Virus
Published Apr 10, 2023Updated Jun 5, 2023
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A virus is a type of malware that can infect a computer system. Viruses have two main functions:
- Destruction: Refers to the damage a computer virus can cause to a computer by deleting files or reformatting the hard drive.
- Propagation: When a virus self-replicates by placing a copy of itself into other programs across a network.
Virus In-Use
A virus’s payload delivers the destructive power and negatively impacts the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of systems or data. Common signs of computer viruses can include unwanted pop-up windows, programs that self-execute, accounts being logged out, and crashing of the device. The risk of a virus can be mitigated by installing anti-virus software, scanning on a regular basis, and backing up data.
Different Types of Viruses
There are many different types of viruses. They include:
- Boot Sector Virus: Originated when computers booted from floppy disks, now commonly distributed by USB drives. It injects itself into the boot process of the computer.
- Macro Virus: Found in programs such as Microsoft Word or Excel that host their own scripting language. These viruses can hide in file formats run by these programs such as
.doc
or.xlsx
. - Parasitic Virus: Attaches to an executable file such as a
.com
or.exe
and is executed with the host file. - Polymorphic Virus: Attempts to evade anti-virus software by altering its own code each time it’s run.
- Web Scripting Virus: Exploits vulnerabilities in browsers to install malicious software. Can be found on unsafe websites or even in malicious banner ads.
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