Computer virus: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:08, 15 August 2025

Revision as of 14:10, 15 August 2025

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Computer viruses generally require a [[Computer program|host program]].<ref name="Avast">{{cite web |title=Worm vs. Virus: What's the Difference and Does It Matter? |url=https://www.avast.com/c-worm-vs-virus |website=Avast Academy |publisher=Avast Software s.r.o. |access-date=9 March 2021 |archive-date=15 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210315052312/https://www.avast.com/c-worm-vs-virus |url-status=live }}</ref> The virus writes its own code into the host program. When the program runs, the written virus program is executed first, causing infection and damage. By contrast, a [[computer worm]] does not need a host program, as it is an independent program or code chunk. Therefore, it is not restricted by the [[Computer program|host program]], but can run independently and actively carry out attacks.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Yeo, Sang-Soo.|title=Computer science and its applications : CSA 2012, Jeju, Korea, 22-25.11.2012|date=2012|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-94-007-5699-1|pages=515|oclc=897634290}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Yu|first1=Wei|last2=Zhang|first2=Nan|last3=Fu|first3=Xinwen|last4=Zhao|first4=Wei|date=October 2010|title=Self-Disciplinary Worms and Countermeasures: Modeling and Analysis|journal=IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems|volume=21|issue=10|pages=1501–1514|doi=10.1109/tpds.2009.161|s2cid=2242419|issn=1045-9219}}</ref>

It tries to replicate itself and spread in the system. Sometimes, it causes the computer to be slow and have crashes which make the computer unusable.

Virus writers use [[social engineering (security)|social engineering]] [[deception]]s and exploit detailed knowledge of [[vulnerability (computing)|security vulnerabilities]] to initially infect systems and to spread the virus. Viruses use complex anti-detection/stealth strategies to evade [[antivirus software]].<ref>{{Bulleted list |{{cite book | author=Filiol, Eric | title=Computer viruses: from theory to applications | url=https://archive.org/details/computervirusesf00fili_399|url-access=limited | publisher=Springer |year=2005 |isbn=978-2-287-23939-7 | page=[https://archive.org/details/computervirusesf00fili_399/page/n28 8]}} |{{cite book | author=Harley, David | title=Viruses Revealed | url=https://archive.org/details/virusesrevealed00harl | url-access=registration |publisher=McGraw-Hill |year=2001 | isbn=0-07-222818-0 |page=[https://archive.org/details/virusesrevealed00harl/page/6 6]|display-authors=etal}} |{{cite book | author=Ludwig, Mark A. | title=The Little Black Book of Computer Viruses: Volume 1, The Basic Technologies | year=1996 |isbn=0-929408-02-0 |pages=16–17| publisher=American Eagle Publications }} |{{cite book | author=Aycock, John | title=Computer Viruses and Malware |publisher=Springer |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-387-30236-2 | page=[https://archive.org/details/computervirusesm00ayco/page/n40 27] | url=https://archive.org/details/computervirusesm00ayco | url-access=limited}} |}}</ref> Motives for creating viruses can include seeking [[income|profit]] (e.g., with [[ransomware]]), desire to send a political message, personal amusement, to demonstrate that a vulnerability exists in software, for [[sabotage]] and [[Denial-of-service attack|denial of service]], or simply because they wish to explore [[cybersecurity]] issues, [[artificial life]] and [[evolutionary algorithm]]s.<ref>{{cite book | editor=Bell, David J. | display-editors=et al | chapter=Virus |title=Cyberculture: The Key Concepts |publisher=Routledge | year=2004 |isbn=9780203647059 | page=[https://archive.org/details/cyberculturekeyc0000unse/page/154 154] | chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5MFWZK0CSOQC&pg=PA154 | url=https://archive.org/details/cyberculturekeyc0000unse/page/154}}</ref>