It is important to note that a virus cannot be spread without a human action, (such as running an infected program) to keep it going. Almost all viruses are attached to an executable file, which means the virus may exist on your computer but it actually cannot infect your computer unless you run or open the malicious program. Like a human virus, a computer virus can range in severity: some may cause only mildly annoying effects while others can damage your hardware, software or files.
What Is a Computer Virus?Ī computer virus attaches itself to a program or file enabling it to spread from one computer to another, leaving infections as it travels. Viruses, worms and Trojan Horses are all malicious programs that can cause damage to your computer, but there are differences among the three, and knowing those differences can help you better protect your computer from damaging effects. While the words Trojan, worm and virus are often used interchangeably, they are not exactly the same thing. One common mistake that people make when the topic of a computer virus arises is to refer to a worm or Trojan horse as a virus. The phrases are used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. The most common blunder people make when the topic of a computer virus arises is to refer to a worm or Trojan horse as a virus.