Virus

 in Basics  tagged antivirus / malware / Security / spyware / trojans / Virus / worms by

What is Virus?

Virus is a malicious code that gets into your computer without your knowledge and permission and spreads itself through removable devices and network. A virus stays there until it is removed or has a self destruct condition.

Virus

Virus

 

How does Virus work?

Virus are known to modify the system files and application to screw up your system. They can change the existing programs or the installed one and run when they are opened. Once a virus gets the access of system through any program, it can harm your system in many ways. It can either steal your information, corrupt your Operating System files or delete your drivers or replicate itself to use up all the resources. This can then slow up your machine and make your system behave abnormally. The main purpose of virus is to infect, change or destroy the system it resides in and then try to spread itself through various sources.

 

Types of Virus:

  • Classic virus:
    Code that rewrites existing  computer code and modifies it with its wish.
  • Trojans:
    Also known as Trojan horse, Trojans are programs that you add. Trojans makes you believe you need these plugins or softwares hence you add them thinking of them as legitimate files. These then work as system files and so have full access to the system. They use up all resources of your machine and can steal your saved passwords.
  • Worms:
    These types of virus have only one aim. To infect as many machines as possible. They copy themselves into programs or your emails and then broadcast themselves to your address lists or over the network. Their main aim is to reproduce and spread.
  • Spyware:
    These programs make you install them in your machine usually through ads. They then steal your passwords or send your browsing history and you’re information to their websites and you get ads relevant to your choices. Spywares can also use your own machine to broadcast message on internet. Some ads on that page will be running through your machine when you’re online.

 

How to remove a Virus?

  • The most basic way to remove any Virus is to use a but a genuine and trusted Antivirus and malware softwares. These softwares are programmed to go through each file in your system and scan and check them for any malicious code in them. Once detected you can decide if you want to delete it or put in Quarantine or a virus vault. Both methods are effective and cleans your system.
  • The other way is to manually find the virus and remove it. For this you will need a third-party software like Process Explorer or Process Hacker to check the processes. Any virus in your system is running, either as a program or system service. You can find it from the list of running processes and checks it place. Once you get the location you can kill the process and delete it immediately. Directly deleting it won’t work since it is a running process. If you stop any virus, it will restart itself so you should quickly delete it. NOTE: Do this only if you know what you’re doing, else you might end up killing some important system service and deleting it thinking fo it as virus, making you OS crash and useless.
  • Normal Virus can also be found in startup of ‘msconfig’. You can check its place, boot from safe mode and delete it.

 

Antivirus

Here’s a list of some famous free Antivirus. Click and download.

You can also run a free online scan from internet from these sites

Install 1 antivirus for 1 machine. Installing 2 won’t make your computer any more secure. Plus the new one will conflict the installed anti-virus and won’t let it function properly. Also there is a high chance of your system becoming unstable and slow since two antivirus will be running and checking system simultaneously. You can however install one antivirus and one malware protector, preferably Malware bytes.

 

How to keep your PC safe and avoid Viruses?

  • The most important thing you need to keep your PC safe  is an Anti-virus. If you use internet or pen-drives, you need an antivirus.
  • Scan each device before connecting it to your machine. Scan even your phones before connecting.
  • On internet, read everything before installing any software. Do not add anything that a website wants you to add. Do not click on spam messages.
  • If you’re downloading any software, while installing check if the software is trying to install any other program along with itself. If it is, uncheck that option and only install your software not any other program.
  • Read before you click anywhere.

 Image Source: Google

 

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