How do computer viruses spread?
A computer virus is a malicious code that replicates itself by copying itself to another program, computer boot sector or document and changes the way a computer works. A virus cannot spread or execute without a human action, for example, running an infected program or opening an infected document.
The main ways viruses spread are:
-Email attachments: Viruses can be sent as attachments to emails. The email may look like it’s from a friend or a company you know, but when you open the attachment, the virus will install itself on your computer.
-Infected websites: You can get viruses just by visiting infected websites. When you visit the website, the virus will install itself on your computer.
-Infected files: You can get viruses by downloading infected files from the internet or from a USB drive.
How do computer viruses work?
A computer virus is a type of malware that, when executed, replicates by inserting copies of itself into other computer programs, data files, or the boot sector of the hard drive. When this replication succeeds, the affected areas are then said to be “infected” with a virus.
Viruses are often spread by email attachments, file sharing, or infecting websites. They can also be spread by USB flash drives, or by infecting an operating system when an infected program is executed. Once a virus is introduced to a computer, it can replicate and attempt to spread itself to other computers connected to that computer, either over a network or the Internet.
Many computers are now equipped with antivirus software that can detect and remove malware, including viruses. However, no antivirus program can be 100% effective, and some viruses are specifically designed to evade detection by antivirus programs.
We used malwarezero.org to write this article about computer viruses. Click here to learn more.