Mechanism of Computer Virus

The engineering of Computer Virus is depending on individual who are making it. It is one of the interesting subjects among programmers who intentionally develop these kinds of software. Computer Virus is also a kind of application which is created by intention to perform some harmful work in computer. Viruses are mysterious and grab our attention.

Properly engineered virus can have tremendous effect on the world wide world i.e. Internet. You may hear about the Mydoom worm, which experts estimate infected approximately a quarter-million computers in a single day. In March 1999, the Melissa virus was so powerful that it forced Microsoft and a number of other very large companies to completely turn off their e-mail systems until the virus could be detected and removed.

In the year 2000 had a similar virus called ILOVEYOU which spreads through email. But these viruses were very simple.




Here are the different types of viruses. There are many types of electronic infection but the most common are:

Virus

The most recognized and dynamic of the rogue software is the virus. A virus modifies other programs to include executable virulent code. In some cases, the virulent code mutates and changes as it is copied. Viruses are extremely difficult to detect and even harder to erase. And the task becomes even more difficult as viruses become increasingly powerful and sophisticated. Eventually, most viruses will self destructive, typically taking the hard-drive files with it.

WORMS


It is a small piece of software that uses computer networks like Internet and security holes to replicate itself. Worms always scan the computer network to find out another computer system which has similar security hole. If they find it, they simple copy itself to the new machine using the security hole. Unlike most other types of virulent code, the worms travel through a network computer system. The worm travels from computer to computer –usually without doing any real damage. Worms rarely replicate, except in cases where it is absolutely necessary to continue traveling through the system, and delete all traces of their presence. It selectively alters or destroys a limited number of files or programs. Because worms can be made for specific jobs, they are often difficult to spot unless the worm is known.

Trojan Horses

The Trojan horse is largely considered to be the grandparent of today’s virulent software. Generally, Trojan horse is a destructive computer program which resides in the very useful programs like Word processing or graphic programs.

The Trojan Horse tactic is the most popular means of introducing Viruses in the computers. Hopefully, many virulent codes which reside in the trusted software can be detected by scanning new software before it is executed for the first time. But Trojan horses have no way to replicate automatically.