How are computer viruses created?
Most computer viruses are created by young programmers or scripting enthusiasts who want to cause harm to others, gain notoriety or political motivation, or simply create a challenge for themselves. However, some computer viruses are created by criminals who want to make money by stealing personal information or holding computer systems hostage.
There are four main ways that computer viruses are created:
1. Writing code from scratch
This is the most difficult and time-consuming way to create a virus, as the creator must have a good understanding of programming languages and computer systems. However, it does give them the most control over their virus, and so this is the method used by most serious virus creators.
2. Modifying existing code
If a virus creator knows how to modify existing code, they can create a new virus by making changes to an existing program or script. This method is less time-consuming than writing code from scratch, but it can be just as effective.
3. Using a virus creation kit
Virus creation kits are programs that allow anyone, regardless of their programming knowledge, to create a virus. These kits supply the user with all the code they need, and usually have a user-friendly interface that makes creating a virus as easy as following a set of instructions.
4. Stealing code
This is the easiest way to create a virus, as the creator does not need to write or modify any code. Instead, they simply steal code from another program or script that already exists. This method is often used by less experienced virus creators, as it requires no programming knowledge.
What is the most common computer virus?
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The most common computer virus is the malware known as Trojans. These malicious programs are often disguised as legitimate files or programs, and can allow cyber criminals to gain access to your computer system and steal your sensitive information. Other common viruses include worms, ransomware, and phishing attacks.
How do computer viruses spread?
A computer virus is a malicious code or program that self-replicates by copying itself to another program or file and infecting it. In order to do this, the virus must first gain access to a computer. Once the virus is on a computer, it has the potential to spread to other computers connected to the same network. There are many ways a virus can spread:
Files: Virus-infected files can be emailed or downloaded from the internet. When these files are opened, the virus is activated and can replicate itself.
Websites: Websites that are infected with a virus can infect your computer when you visit them. The virus can be downloaded and executed without you even knowing it.
Network Shares: If a computer on a network is infected with a virus, any other computers connected to that network can also become infected. This is because the virus can spread through network shares.
Drive-By Downloads: Drive-by downloads occur when you visit a website and the virus is downloaded and executed without your knowledge or consent. This can happen even if you don’t click on anything on the website.
Viruses can also spread through removable media such as USB drives, CDs, and DVDs. If you insert a infected USB drive into a computer, the virus can infect that computer.
Most viruses are designed to spread as quickly as possible. The faster a virus spreads, the more damage it can cause. A virus can cause a lot of damage to a computer, including deleting files, corrupting data, and slowing down the computer. A virus can also spread to other computers on a network and cause damage to those computers as well.
Preventing a virus from infecting your computer is the best way to protect your computer from damage. You can do this by using a good antivirus program and keeping it up to date. You should also scan your computer regularly for viruses. You can also protect your computer by not opening email attachments from unknown senders, and by not downloading files from untrustworthy websites.
What are some examples of computer viruses?
Computer viruses are small software programs that are designed to spread from one computer to another and to interfere with computer operation. A computer virus might corrupt or delete data on your computer, use your email program to spread itself to other computers, or even erase everything on your hard disk.
The following are examples of computer viruses:
1. LoveBug Virus
Also known as the ILOVEYOU virus, this computer virus was first discovered in 2000. It spread quickly, affecting millions of computers in just a few days. The virus would arrive in an email with the subject line “I love you” and a message body that said “this (attached file) is for you.” Once the attachment was opened, the virus would email itself to everyone in the victim’s address book and then delete various types of files from the victim’s hard drive.
2. WannaCry Ransomware
This computer virus hit the news in 2017 when it spread quickly and infected more than 230,000 computers in 150 countries. The virus encrypted important data on victims’ computers and demanded a ransom be paid in Bitcoin in order to decrypt the files. Unfortunately, even if the ransom was paid, there was no guarantee that the files would be decrypted and made accessible again.
3. Storm Worm
This computer virus was first discovered in 2007 and is still active today. It arrives in email messages that look like they are from a friend or someone you know. The email might say something like “Hey, I found this great website, you should check it out.” If you click on the link in the email, you will be taken to a website that downloads the Storm Worm virus onto your computer. This virus is designed to steal personal information from your computer, such as your passwords, credit card numbers, and banking information.
4.Melissa Virus
This virus was first discovered in 1999 and was one of the first mass-mailing viruses. It would arrive in an email with the subject line “Important Message From [Your Name].” The message would say something like “here is the document you asked for, I hope you find it useful.” If you opened the attachment, the virus would email itself to the first 50 people in your address book. The virus would also interfere with your computer’s operation, making it difficult to use certain applications.
5. Cryptolocker Virus
This virus, which was first discovered in 2013, is a type of ransomware. It encrypts important files on your computer and then demands a ransom be paid in order to decrypt the files. The virus might arrive in an email that looks like it’s from a legitimate company, such as FedEx or DHL. The email might say that you have a package waiting to be delivered and that you need to click on a link to schedule the delivery. If you click on the link, you will be taken to a website that will download the Cryptolocker virus onto your computer.
What are some of the most notorious computer viruses in history?
Throughout the history of computing, there have been a number of notorious viruses that have caused havoc for users and businesses worldwide. Here are some of the most famous:
The Morris worm is widely considered to be the first major computer virus. Developed in 1988 by Cornell University student Robert T. Morris, the worm was designed to exploit vulnerabilities in Unix operating systems in order to propagate itself. However, due to a coding error, the worm ended up replicating itself so rapidly that it caused widespread performance issues and brought down many systems, including those of major organizations such as NASA and the US Department of Defense. The incident led to Morris becoming the first person to be convicted under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
The Melissa virus was another early computer virus that caused widespread havoc. Named after a stripper in Florida, the virus was designed to replicate itself by emailing itself to the first 50 contacts in a victim’s address book. Once opened, the virus would display a message that said “Here is that document you asked for… don’t show anyone else ;-)”. The message would then be autogenerated and sent to the victim’s contacts, causing the virus to spread quickly. The Melissa virus caused so much damage that it was estimated to have cost businesses around $80 million in lost productivity.
The Love Bug, or “ILOVEYOU” virus, was a particularly destructive computer virus that emerged in 2000. The virus was spread via email, with victims receiving a message that appeared to be from a friend or loved one, with the subject line “ILOVEYOU”. When opened, the message would display a short text file with the words “I LOVE YOU” followed by an attachment. If the attachment was opened, the virus would replicate itself and email itself to everyone in the victim’s address book. The Love Bug quickly spread around the world, causing an estimated $10 billion in damage.
The SoBig virus was another destructive virus that caused billions of dollars in damage. First appearing in 2003, the virus was spread via email and appeared to contain information about current affairs or celebrity gossip. However, when opened, the virus would replicate itself and email itself to everyone in the victim’s address book. The SoBig virus caused so much damage that it was estimated to have cost businesses around $10 billion.
The MyDoom virus was first seen in 2004 and is considered to be one of the most destructive viruses in history. The virus was spread via email and appeared to be a message from a friend or loved one. However, when opened, the virus would replicate itself and email itself to everyone in the victim’s address book. The MyDoom virus caused so much damage that it was estimated to have cost businesses around $30 billion.
The Storm Worm was first seen in 2007 and is considered to be one of the most destructive viruses in history. The virus was spread via email and appeared to be a message from a friend or loved one. However, when opened, the virus would replicate itself and email itself to everyone in the victim’s address book. The Storm Worm caused so much damage that it was estimated to have cost businesses around $30 billion.
These are just some of the most notorious computer viruses in history. These viruses have caused billions of dollars in damage and have caused havoc for businesses and individuals around the world.
Visit malwarezero.org to learn more about computer viruses. Disclaimer: We used this website as a reference when writting this blog post.