Computer Viruses & What Happens to Antivirus Software

 

Computer Viruses & What Happens to Antivirus Software

What are computer viruses

There are programs that are installed on the computer and carry out actions without our authorization. Some are more harmful than others and the damage they cause depends on the purpose for which they were created. This is what is called a computer virus. You have surely heard of these programs on more than one occasion. Viruses are created by hackers and their objectives can be very varied. From obtaining personal information to testing security breaches in a system, to stealing passwords and taking control of the machine.

 

Viruses are created for the purpose of infecting vulnerable systems, to bypassing the Antivirus Software, gaining administrative control, and stealing sensitive data. Hackers always do them with malicious intent. The ways in which they spread are also very diverse. Among the most frequent polluting sources are USB memory sticks. Computer viruses can move from one element to another, so you have to be careful when running any device on your computer. It is advisable to do an analysis before to prevent any threat.

 

They can also be transmitted by downloading files that are infected or browsing unsafe sites. Email is one of the most common ways a computer virus spreads. Malicious links can be clicked through these platforms, usually intended to steal information such as passwords or financial data. 

 

Virus vs. Malware

The term virus is often confused with malware. But malicious software is any program designed with the intention of causing harm to a computer, server, client, or computer network. Using both words synonymously is a mistake. What's more, a computer virus is one of the types of malware, as are Trojans, ransomware, spyware, adware, among others. Most malware is Trojans or computer bugs and not viruses.

 

How computer viruses work

It is interesting to know how viruses act on computers. They might start working as soon as they get to the new computer. Or that they are not activated by themselves, but are associated with other programs or triggers. When the user executes this action is when the malicious software is activated. This will depend on the instructions you were given when programming it. Viruses not only affect computers, but also mobile devices and websites. In the latter case, it is important to have good SEO hosting that provides protection. Viruses are becoming more sophisticated and with evasion capabilities, bypassing ANTIVIRUS and other defense elements.

Characteristics of computer viruses

Among the characteristics of the types of viruses that invade your computer we can highlight the following:

·   They are capable of mutating; that is, they transform their codes to avoid being detected. Hence their name, because they are similar to biological cells, which replicate their living cells.

·     They are created to cause some harm. However, the type and degree of damage will depend on your schedule.

·     They may or may not be resident, that is, they remain in the computer's memory even after being detected.

·         Some have the ability to appear to be ordinary commercial programs.

·         Certain viruses attract other similar programs and work together to cause more damage.

·         They are capable of staying hidden and replicating themselves.

·       Some need a trigger to activate. When the conditions for which they were programmed are met, they act.

Depending on the type of virus, these can reduce memory, slow down the computer and delete files, among other actions. Each virus is programmed for a particular purpose.

Eliminating them can be simple, but if they cause severe or unlimited damage it is more complicated and their effects are longer lasting. For example, in a network you can go from an infected computer to a healthy one in a short time making it more difficult to eliminate it.