I don’t get sick too often, but when I do, my wife claims I act like it’s
the end of the world. Our computers can get sick too, with viruses that
replicate. Thus the clever name: virus! A computer virus is a program that
executes and replicates itself on your computer. Some viruses aren’t that bad,
others are very destructive, destroying files and data, or even stealing your
data. Pesky viruses!
There are three main types of viruses. Boot sector viruses infect sections of
your computer drive that are reading when your computer boots, or starts. File
infectors attach themselves to executable (.exe) files and infect the files and
your computer when the .exe file is opened. Macro viruses contain macros, or
sets of instructions to do things like replace or delete files.
I know you’re thinking “what about worms and Trojan Horses?” Worms
don’t attach to hosts, but are spread over computer networks. They are often
spread as attachments to emails. Trojan Horses, on the other hoof, are programs
with a hidden function you don’t know about, like executing a virus or
viruses.
So how do we protect our computers? With anti-virus software, of course, and
smart and careful computing! Hackers and virus writers are always creating new
viruses, so ant-virus companies have to keep up on the threats, and keep their
tools updated. At the most basic level, anti-virus programs detect issues and
try to repair, delete, or quarantine them.
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