Source Computer Hope

The word “virus” is often used as a common term for all malicious programs, but technically a virus is a program or code that attaches itself to a legitimate, executable piece of software, and then reproduces itself when that program is run. Viruses spread by reproducing and inserting themselves into programs, documents, or e-mail attachments. They can be transmitted through e-mails or downloaded files and they can be present on CDs, DVDs, USB-drives and any other sort of digital media.

A virus normally requires an action to infect a victim. For instance, the malicious programs inside e-mail attachments usually only strike if you open them. The effect of a virus can be anything from a simple prank that pops up messages to the complete destruction of programs and data.

New Antivirus information – mobile threats

Nowadays, mobile operators are also starting to feel the pinch from viruses resulting from the increasing use of e-mails and Internet browsing on mobile phones. There has been a 46% increase in malware that targets smartphones, compared to the same period in 2009, an industry study showed.

But mobile viruses are around 20 years behind those plaguing computers. This translates into more than 2000 virus variants targeting mobiles and smartphones, compared to around 400,000 such threats targeting PCs. In June 2004, a security company released the details of a piece of mobile phone malware that used Bluetooth to spread to other Symbian Series 60-based mobiles. That is believed to be the first case of a self-replicating mobile-phone virus and since then there has been a consistent increase in mobile viruses.

To protect yourself against viruses, you should always keep your BullGuard software up-to-date and your operating system and applications patched.

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Also published on Medium.