What is a virus and how to prevent
What is a virus?A virus is a computer code or program, which is capable of affecting your computer data badly by corrupting or destroying them.
Computer virus has the tendency to make its duplicate copies at a swift pace, and also spread it across every folder and damage the data of your computer system.
A computer virus is actually a malicious software program or "malware" that, when infecting your system, replicates itself by modifying other computer programs and inserting its own code.
Description: Computer Virus
Infected computer programs may include data files, or even the "boot" sector of the hard drive.
Types of VirusFollowing are the major types of computer virus −
- Worms
This is a computer program that replicates itself at a swift pace. Unlike a computer virus, it is self-contained and hence does not need to be part of another program to propagate itself.
- Trojan Horse
A Trojan Horse is also a sort of destructive program that remains disguised in a normal software program. It is not exactly a virus, as it cannot replicate itself. However, there is possibility that virus program may remain concealed in the Trojan Horse.
- Bombs
It is similar to Trojan Horse, but Logic bombs have some specialty; these include a timing device and hence it will go off only at a particular date and time.
How Does Virus Affect?Let us discuss in what ways a virus can affect your computer system. The ways are mentioned below −
- By downloading files from the Internet.
- During the removable of media or drives.
- Through pen drive.
- Through e-mail attachments.
- Through unpatched software & services.
- Through unprotected or poor administrator passwords.
- Impact of Virus
Let us now see the impact of virus on your computer system −
- Disrupts the normal functionality of respective computer system.
- Disrupts system network use.
- Modifies configuration setting of the system.
- Destructs data.
- Disrupts computer network resources.
- Destructs of confidential data.
- Virus Detection
The most fundamental method of detection of virus is to check the functionality of your computer system; a virus affected computer does not take command properly.
However, if there is antivirus software in your computer system, then it can easily check programs and files on a system for virus signatures.
Virus Preventive MeasuresLet us now see the different virus preventive measures. A computer system can be protected from virus through the following −
- Installation of an effective antivirus software.
- Patching up the operating system.
- Patching up the client software.
- Putting highly secured Passwords.
- Use of Firewalls.
- Most Effective Antivirus
Following are the most popular and effective antivirus from which you can choose one for your personal computer −
- McAfee Antivirus Plus
- Symantec Norton Antivirus
- Avast Pro Antivirus
- Bitdefender Antivirus Plus
- Kaspersky Anti-Virus
- Avira Antivirus
- Webroot Secure Anywhere Antivirus
- Emsisoft Anti-Malware
- Quick Heal Antivirus
- ESET NOD32 Antivirus. To protect your device from viruses download bitdefender anti virus here.