What Is A Computer Virus?
Its a type of malicious code or program written to alter the way of a computer operates. A virus operates by inserting or attaching itself to a legitimate program or document that supports macros in order to execute its code. Some computer viruses are programmed to harm your computer by reformatting your hard drive, damaging software programs, and deleting files. Other computer viruses have the ability to replicate themselves making it impossible to perform any internet activities. Harmful computer can disrupt your system’s performance, sapping the computer memory or causing frequent computer crashes.
Viruses can spread in several ways: including networks, email attachments, or external hard drive storage, or USB flash drives.
How does a Computer get a Virus?
You can easily pick up a computer virus through normal web activities, as:
Sharing music, files, or photos with other end users
Visiting an infected website
Opening spam email or an email attachment
Downloading free games, toolbars, media players, and/or other system utilities
Installing mainstream software applications without reading the license agreements
What are the symptoms of a Computer Virus?
Slow computer performance
Problems shutting down or restarting your computer
Unexpected pop-up window(s)
Erratic computer behavior
Overworked hard drive
Emails send autonomously from your accounts
Unexplained data loss
Browser lag or redirects
New applications appear without you downloading them
Frequent computer crashes
Malfunctioning antivirus programs and/or firewalls
Different types of Computer Viruses –
Worms: A worm is a type of virus, that doesn’t require the action of a user to spread it from device-to-device.
Trojans: A trojan is a virus that hides within a legitimate seeming program to spread itself across networks and/or devices.
Ransomware: Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a user’s files and demands a ransom in return.
What is Malware?
Malware is a piece of software written to harm and infect the host system.
What are the most common forms of Malware?
Adware: Its an unwanted software designed to input advertisements on your computer screen, most often with the web browser. It uses an underhand method to either disguise itself as legitimate and/or another program to trick you into installing the software on your computer.
Spyware: Its malware that securely observes the computer user’s activities without permission and reports it to the software’s author.
Rootkit: Is a form of malware that provides the attacked with administrator privileges on the infected system, known as “root” access. Its designed to stay hidden from the user.
Keylogger: Is a type of malware that records all the user’s keystrokes on the keyboard, storing the gathered information and sending it to the attacker.
