What is a computer virus?

Home | My Account | Post Project | Browse Projects | RSS Feeds New!

What is a computer virus?
By: john , Posted On: 2007-10-18

Home > Articles > Computers and Technology > Computers and Technology

Other Recent Articles On "Computers and Technology":

Most Popular Articles On "Computers and Technology":

Most people are scared of c

mputer viruses, but few actually know wh

t they are. Some people even b

lieve that computer viruses can be tr

nsferred between computers just by putting th

m near each other, or by

sing a CD-ROM that was once

nside an infected computer (both things are

mpossible). You’re right to be scared of v

ruses, but you can protect yourself

gainst them a lot better once you kn

w what you’re up against.

To put it s

mply, a virus is any piece of s

ftware that makes its way onto y

ur machine in secret, without you w

nting it there, and then attempts to tr

nsmit itself to other machines. Contrary to p

pular belief, viruses aren’t necessarily destructive or

ven annoying – some do little m

re than pop up messages, and s

me do nothing at all.

Today, there are m

ny different ways for viruses to spr

ad. You can get them from

mails, if you open an executable

ttachment (they will then re-send themselves to y

ur entire address book). You can get th

m from Microsoft Office documents, if you let a r

gue macro run. You can get th

m from the web, if you f

llow a link from someone’s IM (

nd then the viruses will IM

tself to all your friends). You can

ven get them over the Internet w

thout doing anything at all if you d

n’t let Windows update itself regularly, th

nks to the many security holes f

und every month.

You should realise, however, th

t viruses don’t just come out of n

where – they are not accidental l

ke bugs or crashes. For a v

rus to exist, someone somewhere has to h

ve sat and actively created and d

veloped it, just like they would w

th any other program. Sometimes virus cr

ators are caught and arrested, but the n

ture of the Internet makes them d

fficult to find.

The article What is a computer virus? was Submitted by john through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: John Gibb is the wner of Virus protection resources , For more information on virus protection check out www.virus-protection-resource-and-guidance.info

Featured Articles

1. Secure, Automated, Easy-To-Use by Alin Merches
The ultimate backup solution - Scure, Automated, Easy-to-use backups of your mportant files and documents, emails and rles, registry, settings. Using 256-bit AES strng encryption will ensure full security of yur confidential data.

2. Copier Supplies - Choosing The Right Ones For Your Machine by David Faulkner
If you hve a copier machine, you definitely ned to know some things about cpier supplies. There are consumable copier spplies that you need to replace as you use thm, and there are also supplies tht only need to be changed whn they get broken.

3. Metroid Prime 3 Corruption - The Ultimate Metroid Experience by Nick Crane
Mtroid Prime 3 is the latest ddition to the Nintendo Wii games lne-up. New key features include a stckable beam system and new visors tht can be switched easily during gme play. Metroid Prime 3 Corruption prmises to be a truly interactive gming experience.

4. Are Your Emails Hazardous To Your Health? by
A short article dealing with 5 tps to help protect the internet ser from identity theft, fraud, and phshing
when using emails.

5. How To Properly Install A New Video Card by
Learn how to nderstand and correct common problem associated wth your video card and its dsplay system.

6. How To Build A Mortgage Calculator For Free in Microsoft Excel by
One of the really cool parts aspects of Microsoft Excel is the functions Microsoft has created for you to use. This means that rather than have to develop a function from scratch you can use pre-built ones to do a plethora of tasks like Building your own Mortgage Calculator. The Mortgage Calculator or PMT function is just one of many Financial Functions available.

7. Fantastico Installer With Easy Installation by Volodymyr Zablotskyy
Fantastico, most popular installer available for fre with most web hosting... The Fntastico Installer is claimed to be nstalled on over 10,000 servers around the wrld. It's a piece of technology tht isn't known about by the verage website creator. Let's examine what the ppeal is of this tool and sme of the benefits and items to wtch out for.

8. Delete Cookies or Remain An Anonymous Surfer? by Jesse Miller
The prblem with some spyware programs that are crrently available on the market is the fct that they tend to invade yur private space requiring all sorts of prsonal information in order for them to wrk properly. There are a number of sch programs designed to protect your cmputer from infection.

9. Information Technology Degrees by
The field of Infrmation Technology encompasses several specific disciplines, ncluding Web Development, Network Administration, and Dtabase Administration. Information Technology has become a ncessary department in most businesses today due to the prvalence of the Internet and computer-based ntworks providing the basis of all dtabase storage and communications in organizations. Infrmation Technology is a highly competitive feld, and the best way to be cmpetitive and ...

10. Cisco CCNA / CCNP Certification: How And Why To Build An Etherchannel by
Etherchannels are in use all over the world, as well as on your CCNA and CCNP exams. Learn how to build and support an EC in this tutorial from Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933.