What is a computer virus? How many types are there? How can you tell if your computer has a virus? If you have various questions about these, today you will get answers to all of them. Many of us have heard the term “computer virus” several times and know that viruses can be very harmful to our computers or laptops. However, despite knowing this, we may not consider it necessary to learn more about it or take any precautions against it.
Suddenly one day, when some functions of our computer stop working, we see system errors, the computer becomes slow, it takes time to start up, unnecessary advertisements appear, files get deleted on their own, or there are error messages and system crashes, we start to worry.
At that moment, we think, “Doesn’t our computer have any viruses?”
After that, with fear, we search on the internet or Google, “What does a computer virus mean?”, “What are the symptoms of a virus infection?”, “How to remove or prevent viruses,” and many other things to find their solutions.
However, if you already have knowledge about harmful computer viruses and how they spread or how to protect your computer from viruses, then you won’t have to be afraid or encounter any problems.
Because if you know the ways to protect against viruses, you will always be cautious. And, as a result, your computer or laptop will never be vulnerable to viruses.
Therefore, in today’s article, I will explain everything about “computer viruses” to all of you. And I will also tell you how you can keep your computer or laptop virus-free. What will we learn today?
- What is a computer virus and who is it called?
- How many types of viruses are there and what are they?
- What are the main symptoms of a computer virus infection?
- What damages can a virus cause to a computer?
- How can you protect your computer from viruses?
- How can you remove viruses from an infected computer?
So, let’s go, and one by one, let’s learn the answers to all the questions below.
What is a computer virus and what is it called?
A computer virus is a computer program or file that infects a computer and spreads throughout the entire system without the user’s permission or awareness. It is often difficult to determine how a virus can enter any computer.
The main function of a virus is to enter your computer system and modify other programs or files by injecting its own malicious code. This initiates the spread of the virus, causing other program files on your computer to function similarly to the destructive virus.
Therefore, you may have noticed many times that a function or program starts on your computer unexpectedly, the computer restarts on its own, or suspicious processes occur without your intervention.
If these symptoms also occur on your computer, it is likely that “your computer has a virus.”
How does a computer get infected with a virus?
There are several easy ways for a virus to enter your computer or system. These include:
Through the Internet – If you use the Internet on your computer, it can be infected with viruses from infected websites online. Approximately 70% of people’s computers are infected with adware, malware, and spyware viruses directly from the Internet.
From USB devices – We often copy various files from USB devices such as pen drives, mobile phones, or hard disks to our computers. During the process of copying these files, viruses can easily enter our computers from other people’s computers, and we may not even realize it.
Through email attachments – We receive various types of emails in our email accounts every day. These emails may contain virus infections through file attachments, and we may unknowingly open them.
What are the main types of computer viruses and what are they?
There are various types of computer viruses. However, there are some specific types of computer viruses that cause harm to 90% of people’s computers. They are:
Worms
These viruses are called self-replicating. It means they remain in your system and gradually spread. They change their own code in such a way that it becomes difficult to detect them.
Trojans
These types of viruses are mostly spread by hackers. They can enter your computer through the internet, networks, etc., and steal personal and confidential information.
Browser Hijackers
These computer viruses can enter your system through “downloads.” When you download a file from the internet, these viruses accompany the file as plugins or extensions and infiltrate your computer. Then they display various types of damaging advertisements and pop-ups on your web pages or internet browser, redirect you to other websites against your will.
Overwrite Viruses
These viruses can enter your computer and delete system files or any other files. They delete files and modify them to cause damage to your system.
Malware
These types of system viruses are created and spread to damage your computer. They are mostly spread when copying files from other computers or using infected USB devices.
Spyware
Spyware viruses are used to monitor your computer and browser usage. Most of them can enter your system from the internet. They keep an eye on your computer and browser activities.
These are just some common and widespread computer viruses. They are most likely to enter your computer when you copy and paste files from the internet and other sources.
Adware virus
These enter your computer when you download something from the internet. Besides that, when you visit some unsafe websites, certain files may automatically download to your computer through pop-ups, which contain these adware viruses. These viruses infiltrate your computer and continuously display advertisements that you cannot easily disable.
When a computer is infected with a virus, how can you tell? (Symptoms of a virus)
Sometimes it happens that a virus is present in the system but shows no visible symptoms. Symptoms can vary depending on the virus and its purpose.
For example,
If you start seeing advertisements on your computer, pop-up pages opening in the browser, or automatically redirecting to different web pages or websites, it is possible that your computer has an “Adware virus.”
Many times, viruses hide inside your system and gradually edit system or program files by inserting their own code, such as self-replicating viruses.
In such cases, you may not be able to detect them easily, but you may experience some common inconveniences such as the computer restarting on its own, excessive hanging, or encountering error messages, which can raise suspicion.
Additionally,
- Slow internet speed.
- Unexpected pop-up windows.
- Computer behaving unusually.
- Programs operating on their own, opening or closing.
- Sudden freezing and crashing.
- Displaying system errors.
- Encountering hardware or software problems.
These types of inconveniences or occurrences on your computer can be signs of a virus.
To determine if these are indeed virus symptoms, you can take an action.
Install antivirus software on your computer and scan it. If there is a virus present, the scan will detect it.
What damages can be caused by a virus?
There is a possibility that 60% of people have harmful viruses on their computers without being aware of it. This is because there are many types of viruses that may not cause specific damage to your computer.
Generally, adware viruses are known for forcefully displaying advertisements. These viruses start their activities when you connect to the internet. Therefore, if you do not use the internet, you may not experience any symptoms of these viruses.
Furthermore, there are malware, overwrite, Trojan, and worm viruses that can enter your system and damage various program files, delete files, or create new harmful files.
Commonly, slowing down the computer, inability to use the internet, system hang-ups, system crashing, freezing, damaging software and hardware parts, and frequent computer restarts are the primary damaging effects of a computer virus.
Moreover, spyware viruses can enter your computer and steal your personal files, data, passwords, bank account details, and media. Spyware viruses are the most harmful as they closely monitor your computer usage.
How to protect your computer from viruses?
To prevent viruses from entering your computer, you need to take several precautions. If you do not use the internet, then there is less chance of viruses entering. However, if you use the internet on your computer, it is important to be cautious.
- Always use antivirus software on your computer. You can find free options like Avast, Kaspersky, and others. Antivirus software will prevent viruses from entering your computer.
- Avoid clicking on unnecessary pop-up advertisements.
- If you use the internet, make sure to use internet security antivirus software.
- Keep your antivirus software up to date.
- Do not download from any website. Only visit trusted and reliable websites for file downloads.
- Verify before downloading free software.
- Scan any files or attachments that come through your email.
By keeping these general practices in mind, you can prevent viruses from entering your computer.
How to remove viruses from your computer?
If your computer or laptop is infected with a virus, you can download and install general antivirus software to remove it. However, free antivirus software may not be effective in deleting or removing viruses.
In this case, you will need to purchase a premium or paid antivirus software. You can visit online shopping sites like Amazon or Flipkart to buy good antivirus and anti-malware software within the range of Rs. 200 to Rs. 500.
Keep in mind that sometimes antivirus software may not be able to detect certain types of viruses on your computer. In such cases, the only solution may be to perform a system restore or a full system format.
If you are experiencing virus-related issues on your computer, consider performing a full Windows format. After that, pay attention to the general practices I mentioned earlier to protect your computer or laptop from viruses.
FAQ
Q: What is a computer virus?
A: A computer virus is a type of computer program that, when it enters a computer system, modifies other computer programs within it and incorporates its own code into those programs. This infects the computer and spreads to other programs.
Q: How many types of computer viruses are there?
A: There are various types of computer viruses, and new viruses are regularly created and unleashed. Some famous types of computer viruses include Browser Hijackers, Spyware, Trojans, and Overwrite Viruses.
Q: What is malware?
A: Malware is a type of software created by cybercriminals with the purpose of stealing information from computer systems and causing damage to computers. Examples of malware viruses include worms, Trojan viruses, spyware, adware, and ransomware.
Q: What is computer antivirus?
A: An antivirus is a computer program designed to detect and remove viruses and other malicious software from your computer or laptop. Malicious software refers to various malware viruses.
conclusion
friends, you may have understood what a computer virus is and who is referred to in this matter. Lastly, I would like to tell you that if your computer contains a lot of personal data or files, it is essential to protect yourself from viruses.
Always use an antivirus software on your system. Check if the device is secure before copying files from others. If you use the internet, remember not to download files from any site. Only visit trusted sites and download from them. The internet, viruses’ main domain, and these precautions are essential for your well-being. Take care of the basics, use antivirus software, and you will stay safe, ensuring the security of your computer.
