A computer virus is a program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Viruses can also replicate themselves. All computer viruses are man-made. A simple virus that can make a copy of itself over and over again is relatively easy to produce. Even such a simple virus is dangerous because it will quickly use all available memory and bring the system to a halt. An even more dangerous type of virus is one capable of transmitting itself across networks and bypassing security systems.
In other words Computer viruses are small software programs that are designed to spread from one computer to another and to interfere with computer operation. A virus might corrupt or delete data on your computer, use your e-mail program to spread itself to other computers, or even erase everything on your hard disk.
Computer viruses are often spread by attachments in e-mail messages or instant messaging messages. That is why it is essential that you never opened-mail attachments unless you know who it's from and you are expecting it.
The first computer virus popularly known as the 'Brain virus' was created in 1986 by two Pakistani brothers, Amjad and Basit Farooq Alvi. This virus, which spread via floppy disks, was known only to infect boot records and not computer hard drives like most viruses today. The virus also known as the Lahore, Pakistani, Pakistani Brain, Brain-A and UIUC would occupy unused space on the floppy disk so that it could not be used and would hide from detection. It would also disguise itself by displaying the uninfected boot sector on the disk.
Why Do People Create Computer Viruses?
An infinite series of viruses found over the net are designed for different objectives, some of these objectives are listed below:
- To gain control of or hack a computer and use it for specific tasks
- To generate money by using such malware as a cash machine
- To steal sensitive information (credit card numbers, passwords, personal details, data, etc.)
- To prove that they are capable of writing a virus
- For Revenge against a company
- To cripple a computer or network
Viruses usually gain access to the victim's computer following an accidental download by the computer user who is ignorant about the source of the program, such as a file sent from an instant messenger friend or email attachment.
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