Computer Virus Notice

Viruses

A virus is a program written with malicious intent for the sole purpose of creating havoc in a computer system. It attaches itself to executable files or boot sectors, so it can replicate and spread.

Some viruses may only cause your system to beep or display messages or images on the screen. Other viruses are highly destructive and corrupt or erase the contents of your files or disks. To be safe, never assume any virus is harmless.

Types of Viruses

Viruses are identified by how they infect computer systems.•Program viruses infect executable program files such as .com,.exe, .ovl, .drv, .sys, and .bin.

•Macro viruses infect macro files of programs such as word processing and spreadsheet programs.

•Boot viruses attach themselves to a boot record, master boot, FAT, or partition table.

•Multipartite viruses are both program and boot infectors.

Virus Contamination

There are many ways a virus can spread and infect your system. However, a virus is inactive until the infected program is executed, or a boot record is read. Thereafter, the virus loads itself into system memory and begins to copy and spread itself.

Disks used in a contaminated system can get infected and, in turn, transfer the virus when used in another system. A virus can also spread via programs downloaded from bulletin boards or the Internet. Remember that viruses cannot appear all by themselves. They have to be written, then spread through direct contact with executable programs or boot sectors.

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