What is a Computer Virus?

A computer virus comes as a program of executable code that attaches itself to files and documents. This code can replicate just like the real virus that it is named after. When you send documents or files to other people over the Internet – through your email – the virus spreads and attacks their stuff.

What exactly does a virus do? In some cases it may simply display advertisements in the form of messages or images. But it can also damage and destroy files, consume space and memory, reformat the hard drive, and generally degrade your computer’s performance.

When the computer virus first came out, it could only be spread via a floppy disc. Now it is spread through other means such as attachments in your email. In fact a virus can spread so fast that it can decimate the records of a whole corporation in a matter of minutes, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage. The cost of lost productivity and cleanup must also be counted.

People who have a basic knowledge of programming language can create a virus. The viruses will usually replicate for ages before they become active and do damage. They very often are programmed to wait until a certain function is performed, or a certain date arrives, before they do their damage. If not created to damage, they still steal space and cause problems with your computer slowing down.

Luckily, these days viruses are usually discovered and isolated before they cause too much damage. Once they are discovered, software programmers can build protection into their software, but this can take up to six months, so it is still costly.

Computer users should all install adequate virus protection so that they can have peace of mind about the threat of virus attack. If everyone did this, viruses could be eliminated completely. Those that were bad in the past are now not the major threat they once were, due to the users’ diligence.

Malicious software comes in other forms apart from the virus, but they cannot replicate like a virus does. They are referred to as Trojans, droppers, worms and kits and generally, as malware.
All these may also contain a virus, and all do various types of damage to the PC.

A Trojan often comes with good packaging that has malicious code inside it. This code causes damage and compromises security. It may also cause loss of data and problems with the behavior of your system.