Introduction to Virus :
Although the roots of the computer virus date back as early as 1949, When the Hungarian scientist John von Neuman published the 'Theory of self-reproducing automata' . the first known computer virus appeared in 1971 and was dubbed the "creeper virus" . This computer virus infected Digital Equipment corporation's (DEC) PDP-10 mainframe computers running the TENEX operating system
The creeper virus was eventually deleted by a program created by 'Ray Tomlinson' and known as THE REAPER. Some people consider 'The Reaper' the first antivirus software ever written -it may be case, but it is important to note that the reaper was actully a virus itself specifically designed to remove the creaper virus.
👉What is Virus in computer ?
a computer virus is malicious program that self-replicates by copying itself to another program. in other words, the computer virus spreads by itself into other executable code or documents.
The purpose of creating a computer virus is to infect valnerable systems, gain admin control and steal user sensitive data. Hackers design computer viruses with malicious intent and prey on online users by tricking them.
👉Symptoms of virus Attack:
Here are some symptomps if you got attack by a virus. if you feel some unusual changes in your device as given under, then you should be aware of it.
1. Computer runs slower :
Your system (computer/laptop) will run slower than before, you will feel some unusual decreas in speed of your device.
2. System takes more time to boot :
Your System may take longer time to boot, or may be sometime it will not boot also!
3. screen Flicker :
Your monitor screen will flicker sometimes, it may be a hardware issue also
4. Speakers beeps :
In some case if one is attacked by a virus and having speakers connected to the device, then the speaker will beep periodically.
5. System crashes :
Your system will be crashed automatically, without any reason, without any command given by you!
6. Files Disappears :
Sometimes your files/directories will disappear automaticlly
7. Denial of Service (DoS) :
In this case you will lose access from your application of system, they will not work sometime.
👉What are the types of viruses ?
1.Boot sector virus :
This type of virus infects the master boot record and it is challenging and complex task to remove this type of virus and often requires the system to be formatted. Mostly it spreads through removable media.
2. Direct action virus :
This is also called non-resident virus, it gets installed or stays hidden in the computer memory. It stays attached to the specific type of files that it infect. It does not affect the user experience and system's performance.
3. Resident virus :
Unlike direct action viruses, resident viruses get installed on the computer. It is difficult to identify the virus and it is even difficult to remove a resident virus.
4. Polymorphic Virus :
These type of virus are difficult to identify with a traditional anti-virus program. This is because the polymorphic viruses alerts its signature pattern whenever it replicates.
5. Overwrite Virus :
This type of virus deletes all the files that it infects. The only possible mechanism to remove is to delete the infected files and the end-user has to lose all the contents in it. Identifying the overwrite virus is difficult as it spread through emails.
6. Spacefiller Virus:
This is also called as "Cavity Viruses". This is called so as they fill up the emplty spaces between the code and hence does not cause any damage to the file.
7. Multipartite Virus :
This type of Virus spreads through multiple ways. It infects both the boot sector and executable files at the same time.
8. Mecro virus :
This type of virus is malicious series of instruction designed to simplify repetitive tasks within a program. Macro virus are written a macro programming language and attached to a document file (such as excel).
When a document or template containing the macro virus is opened in the target application, The virus runs, does its damage and copies itself into other documents. Continual use of the program result in the spread of the virus.
9. Trojan horse progam :
A trojan horse program is a malicious program that pretends to be a benign application ; A trojan horse program purposefully does something the user does not expect.
Trojans are not viruses since they do not replicate, but trojan horse program can be just as destructive.
👉 Tips to get your self away from viruses !
1. Use Antivirus softwares :
Antivirus scanning software, or a virus scanner, is a program which examines all files in specified locations, the contents of memory, the operating system, the registry, unexpected program behaviour, and anyware else program behavior, and anyware else relevant with the intention of identifying and removing any malware.
2. Keep your system up to date:
to make your sysem more secure and free from viruses you should keep your system up to date, by doing this you will make your system more secure.
Always keep the option of auto update on!
3. Set your windows account to standered :
One and great thing you can do is set your windows account to standard account not by administrator account. If you run it on an administor account so, often you will run might be run on a high leval previligious by default even though most program don't required. If you are using system from your admin account, in that case if a malware or virus attacks you then it will get directly affected to your admin account.
4. Wifi protection :
usually all of us used to have access on wifi routers, we keep our wifi secure by using passwords. but, one setting is enabled by default that should be disabled by one is WPS(Wifi protected setup).
now if your WPS is enabled, it is easy for anyone to get connected to ypur network and do anything desired by them.
5. Never use unknown sources :
sometime it happens that we install or download files from unknown source. It should not be done, because we do not know whether the site is protected or not, if we download anything from that site there is a big risk to attacked by virus or trojans.
By keeping all above tips you can stay away from viruses.