Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Computer Viruses 1
Computer Viruses 1
1 Introduction
A computer virus is a malicious software program that is designed to
replicate itself and spread to other computers. It can cause damage to
data, software, and hardware, and can be used to steal confidential
information and spread malicious messages.
Computer viruses come in many different forms, and they can have
different effects on a system. Some of the most common types of
computer viruses are boot sector viruses, file infectors, macro viruses,
and worms.
1
Computer viruses are usually spread through email attachments,
downloads, or by visiting infected websites. They can also be spread
through removable storage media such as USB drives or disks, which is
why it is important to be careful when downloading files from unknown
sources.
Boot sector viruses infect the master boot record of a computer, while
file infectors infect executable files. Macro viruses, on the other hand,
are written in macro languages and can infect documents and
spreadsheets.
1.4.1 My Doom
My Doom became the fastest spreading email worm in January 2004. It
could create a backdoor in the computer operating system letting
unauthorized users access your system. It could also spoof emails so that
it becomes very difficult to track the source.
3
Like other viruses, My Doom searches for email contact in the address
book, plus it also sends the request to all search engines and uses email
addresses found in search engines. In 2004, the most popular search
engine, Google starts receiving millions of search requests from
corrupted systems which slowed down the search engine service
and even caused some servers to crash. According to the MessageLabs,
at that time, every 12th email carried this virus.
The worm was created by a Russian programmer; however, the actual
author is still unknown. It contains a text message “Andy; I’m just
doing my job, nothing personal, sorry,”. In fact, on 27th January 2004,
SCO group offered $250,000 reward for giving information about the
worm’s creator. It estimated damage costs (till now) is $38 Billion.
1.4.2 Sobig
Sobig was a Trojan horse that infected millions of internet-connected
Microsoft Windows computers in August 2003. It had a total of 6
variants named Sobig.A, B, C, D, E and F. The last one i.e. Sobig.F was
the most widespread worm among all variants.
4
The recipients get this virus through email with a sender
address big@boss.com, usually with subjects like Re: Movie, Re:
Sample, Re: documents, Re: my details, Thank you, etc.
1.4.3 Klez
It can infect the computer just by previewing the infected mail i.e.
without even downloading or executing the attachment. It has 3 variants;
Klez.D, Klez.E, Klez.H. The virus is not completely dead yet, that’s
why it is highly recommended to be careful what you are downloading
from the internet and not to use old browser version and expired
antivirus software. It estimated damage costs (till now) is $19 Billion.
1.4.4 ILOVEYOU
6
basic script. It copied itself numerous times and hid the copies in
different folders present in hard drive. It added a new file in registry
keys, overwrote image files and send the copies to all email address
specified in Windows address book.
1.4.5 Conficker
Also known as Kido, Downup, and Downadup, Conficker is a computer
worm first appeared on November 2008. It targeted Microsoft Windows
bug while forming a botnet. Conficker was using many advanced
malware techniques which is why it was difficult to track and destroy
these programs. It changed its propagation and updated methods from
version to version.
A few weeks later, Microsoft released software set to fill the voids
present in Windows 2000 and NT. However, they were unable to
remove the virus from infected systems. Affected users (more than 2
million) had to format the hard drive and start fresh. It estimate damage
is $2.7 Billion.
8
1.4.8 Melissa
In 1999, a man named David L. Smith developed a virus called Melissa
for Windows platform based on Microsoft Word macro. The program
automatically spreads itself through an email attachment. Once the
attachment (named list.doc) is open in MS Word or Outlook, it resends
itself to first 50 contacts present in address book along with the message
“Here is the document you asked for.. don’t show it to anyone else”.
It didn’t destroy any personal files or data present in hard drive but was
strong enough to hang the entire network. The virus spread quickly and
it forced Microsoft corporation to shut down incoming email service.
Intel and other companies were affected too. For creating Melissa,
David received 20 months jail sentence and $5000 fine. It estimated
damage costs is $1 Billion.
1.4.9 Sircam
9
It also propagated via open share network. It simply scanned the
network with share drives and copied itself to the machine with non-
password protected/opened drive. Fortunately, the virus was limited as
many people upgraded their internet security. But still, Sircam did the
damage for what it was designed to. It estimated damage costs is $1
Billion.
The virus spread quickly and affected more than 75,000 users within 10
minutes. It was not written in the SQL language. It exploited the buffer
overflow problem in Microsoft SQL Server and Desktop Engine
Database products.
1.4.11/12 Sasser/Netsky
Both Programs were created by an 18-year-old computer science
student, Sven Jaschan from Germany. Both worms acted in a different
way, but the similarities in code structure led the expertise to believe that
both were created by the same person. For unleashing these programs
onto the internet, Sven Jaschan received a sentence of 1 year 9 month of
probation.
10
1.4.13 Nimda
Nimda is the file infector and computer worm which was released on
18th September 2001. The name comes from the reverse spelling of
“admin”. It utilized numerous types of propagation technique including
email, network share, and web browsing. That is why it became the most
widespread virus on the internet within 22 minutes after its release.
1.4.14 Blaster
Also known as MSBlast and Lovesan, Blaster is a computer worm first
detected on 11th August 2003. It was targeting Microsoft Windows XP
and Windows 2000 operating system. Blaster was taking advantage of
buffer overflow bug and spreading through spamming itself to a large
number of IP addresses. Once a giant network was infected, it spread
quickly because the firewalls did not prevent internal machines from
using a specific port.
11
It created distributed denial of service attacks (DDoS) against
Microsoft’s website, which forced them to take down
Windowsupdate.com. The Worm’s executable file contained the
message referring to the co-founder of Microsoft.Inc, Bill Gates
i.e. “Billy Gates why do you make this possible? Stop making
money and fix your software”. There was one more message “Just want
to say Love you San” which gave worn, an alternative name Lovesan. It
estimated damage costs is $300 Million.
Few of its versions fool the users to download the program through fake
links to news and videos. The attackers often change the subject to
current events so that it looks legitimate. Once you click on the innocent
looking link, a small software containing worm will start downloading
automatically. This was the worst worm of 2007 which infected
around 10 million PCs.
1.5 Symptoms
Computers can get a virus in many ways. The most common ones are:
And other ways, then the computer (PC) may have a virus, look for these
the following telltale signs or symptoms:
13
1.7 Disadvantages of Virus
1. Slower Operating Speed
1.9 Anti-Virus
An anti-virus is software that is designed to identify, prevent, and
remove malicious software, also known as malware. It is one of the most
important tools to protect your computer from malicious attacks.
14
Anti-virus software is designed to scan your computer and detect any
malicious software that might be present. It can then take steps to
prevent these programs from executing and infecting your system.
15
1.11.2 Norton AntiVirus Plus
Norton AntiVirus Plus provides comprehensive protection against
viruses and malware. It includes a firewall and anti-spam protection, as
well as automatic scans, real-time protection, and the latest virus
definitions.
Norton AntiVirus Plus also offers cloud backup, allowing you to store
your data securely in the cloud and access it from any device.
Avast Free Antivirus also offers cloud backup, allowing you to store
your data securely in the cloud and access it from any device.
16
1.11.6 McAfee AntiVirus Plus
McAfee AntiVirus Plus is a comprehensive suite of anti-virus solutions
that offers real-time protection against viruses and malware. It includes a
firewall and anti-spam protection, as well as automatic scans, real-time
protection, and the latest virus definitions.
McAfee AntiVirus Plus also offers cloud backup, allowing you to store
your data securely in the cloud and access it from any device.
1.14 Conclusion
Computer viruses are malicious codes or software that can cause damage
to your computer's data, applications, or operating system. It is
important to take steps to protect your computer from infection, such as
installing and regularly updating antivirus software, being mindful when
downloading files or opening emails from unknown sources, and
keeping your operating system and applications up to date.
17
Computer viruses can be divided into several different types, including
boot sector viruses, file infectors, macro viruses, and polymorphic
viruses. Boot sector viruses infect the boot sector of a computer's hard
drive, while file infectors infect executable files. Macro viruses infect
documents that contain macros, while polymorphic viruses are able to
change their code in order to evade detection.
Each type of virus has its own unique characteristics, and can cause
different levels of damage. It is important to be aware of the different
types of viruses, and to take the necessary steps to protect your computer
from infection.
There are several signs that may indicate that your computer has been
infected with a virus. These include unexpected pop-up windows, slow
computer performance, and changes to your computer's settings or files.
Your computer may also crash unexpectedly, or start running programs
without your permission.
18
Reference
HTTPS://EN.WIKIPEDIA .ORG/ WIKI/COMPUTER_VIRUS
HTTPS://UNISERVEIT .COM/ BLOG/ WHAT -ARE -THE -DIFFERENT -TYPES -OF-COMPUTER-VIRUSES
HTTPS:// WWW.RANKRED .COM/ WORST -COMPUTER-VIRUSES /
HTTPS:// WWW.ASURION.COM/ CONNECT / TECH-TIPS /HOW-TO -REMOVE -A-VIRUS -FROM-YOUR-MAC-OR-
PC/
HTTPS:// WWW.JAVATPOINT .COM/ ADVANTAGES -AND-DISADVANTAGES -OF-VIRUS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_virus
https://byjus.com/govt-exams/computer-virus/
https://www.rankred.com/worst-computer-viruses/
HTTPS:// WWW.CHTIPS .COM/ COMPUTER-FUNDAMENTALS /ADVANTAGES -AND -DISADVANTAGES -OF-
ANTIVIRUS -SOFTWARE /
19