Is a Virus Dangerous?
Dec 20, 2021
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Computer viruses are a form of malicious software. While many people are aware of their existence, not everyone truly understands how dangerous they can be to your devices and the extent of the damage that they can do.
Viruses are some of the most dangerous forms of malware. If they are installed on your device, you will experience serious amounts of damage on your device, and in some cases irreparable damage.
However, luckily there are ways that we can stop viruses from being installed on our devices. As long as you have the correct cybersecurity tools in place and you are aware of how viruses can be installed, you will be equipped to protect your devices from viruses. Read on to find out everything you need to know about viruses.
What is a Virus?
A computer virus, unlike its biological counterpart, is designed and programmed. This means that a cybercriminal is able to program the virus to do a specific task based on the hacker’s intentions.
While all viruses are programmed differently, they are all malicious and their main goal is to cause damage wherever they can. Some of them target your personal or business files, whereas others could target the entire operating system of your device.
Many viruses are transferrable between devices, which can make them even more dangerous. In the majority of cases, a virus will be transmitted from one device to another without the user’s knowledge. Thus, they can be passed on to friends, family members and colleagues without there ever being any intention to do so.
Common Types of Viruses
There are different types of viruses that exist. Each one is unique and has a task that it sets out to accomplish. Understanding each of the different viruses will help you to identify which areas of your device may be at risk.
- Boot sector viruses - These viruses can spread through the computer’s storage systems and media. This can include anything from hard drives to USB sticks. These viruses are difficult to remove, and oftentimes need the storage or media device to be completely reformatted, erasing all data in the process.
- File infecting viruses - These are some of the most common viruses. These are viruses that overwrite code in executable files. When the infected file is opened by the user, it will be destroyed. This virus will also spread if the file is shared with other people. These viruses are commonly spread using emails. This virus will begin to infect the files on your device and destroy them. The only way to remove this virus is to delete the infected files. This means you may lose a lot of your hard work if your data is not backed up.
- Resident viruses - Some of the most dangerous viruses out there. They can often go undetected by antivirus software since they hide in a computer’s RAM. They can also clone themselves if the original virus is deleted.
- Web scripting virus - A virus that is often found on popular websites. It can steal your cookies (online data). What’s more dangerous about this virus though, is that it overwrites code on a website which allows it to insert links that will install other malicious software on your device when you click on them.
How Does a Virus Get Onto Your Device?
Viruses can spread in several different ways. Understanding how they spread is important because it will give you a better chance at avoiding them. Keep this in mind at all times while working on your device.
The majority of viruses make their way onto your device from an external source. This is why it is crucial to always be aware of what is going on on your device and to know what you must avoid while using it.
The first way that viruses can spread is through emails. Phishing scams are used by cybercriminals to target their victims. Oftentimes they will send out fraudulent emails with links or attachments. These emails urge the user to interact with the attachments or links. As soon as you interact with the link or attachment, the virus will be downloaded onto your device.
Phishing scams have become much more difficult to spot in recent years. Cybercriminals are perfecting their technique by using social engineering. This means that they will replicate an email from a company that you know and trust, making it more likely that you will interact with it.
Another way that viruses can make their way onto your device is simply through your browser. The internet is riddled with links that can install viruses on your device when you click on them. These links can come in different forms, from images to popup ads.
This makes it tricky to identify them. However, you should always avoid visiting sketchy websites that do not have the HTTPS prefix. HTTPS protocols are encrypted and more secure than the HTTP protocol.
Viruses can also make their way onto your device through external media such as hard drives, CDs and USBs. You should never use an external media device if you don’t know where it has come from. Even if you are using someone else’s device you must still take care as a virus could be on it without their knowledge.
How to Protect Your Devices From Viruses
The best way to protect your device from a virus is to use premium antivirus software. Antivirus software will constantly scan your device for any malicious software. If any malware is found, it can take action to remove it from your device before it does any more damage.
It is crucial to ensure that your antivirus software is always kept up to date. Software updates are often sent out to ensure that there are no flaws or bugs in the software. They also add extra layers of defence against new tactics developed by cybercriminals to bypass the antivirus software.
However, you should not solely rely on antivirus software to protect your device. As the user, you should be cautious at all times and remain aware of what is happening on your device. Prevention is the best form of defence, and it is always best to avoid phishing scams and sketchy links that you might find online.
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