What is a Computer Virus?
A computer virus is a malicious program which has the ability to spread from device to device and can replicate itself. It can loaded on a computer without the user’s knowledge and it performs malicious actions on the computer.
The purpose of a computer virus is to harm the system software by destroying data, collect user sensitive data and acquire admin control. A computer virus cannot spread without programming like as a document or file. One of the best way by which viruses can spread is email. By opening the attachment in the mail, visiting infected website, clicking on an executable link, viewing infected advertisement a virus can attack to the system. It is also spread by connecting with already infected devices.
The most common viruses are:
- Boot sector virus
- Direct action virus
- Resident virus
- Multipartite virus
- Polymorphic virus
- Overwrite virus
- Spacefiller virus
Some sign of virus infection:
- Slower performance.
- Pop-up bombarding on the screen.
- Programs running automatically.
- Duplicating file automatically.
- New files or programs in the PC.
- Files or folders getting corrupted or deleted.
- The sound of a harddrive.