Computer Virus Essay

• A computer virus is a program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. They have the ability to replicate themselves to the point of using all the available memory, slowing the machine or bringing down the system. All computer viruses are man-made. An even more dangerous type of virus is one capable of transmitting itself across networks and bypassing security systems.
Type of Virus

• File infecting virus
This type of computer virus inserts its malicious code into executable files on a system. When the infected file is opened the virus may overwrite the file and cause damage to the content of the overwritten file. This type of virus targets a large range of operating systems
• Armored virus
A type of virus that has been designed to thwart attempts by analysts from examining its code by using various methods to make tracing, disassembling and reverse engineering more difficult. An Armored Virus may also protect itself from antivirus programs, making it more difficult to trace. To do this, the Armoured Virus attempts to trick the antivirus program into believing its location is somewhere other than where it really is on the system.
• Macro virus
A type of computer virus that is encoded as a macro embedded in a document. Many applications, such as Microsoft Word and Excel, support powerful macro languages. These applications allow you to embed a macro in a document, and have the macro execute each time the document is opened.
According to some estimates, 75% of all viruses today are macro viruses. Once a macro virus gets onto your machine, it can embed itself in all future documents you create with the application
• Retrovirus
A computer retrovirus is one that activ...

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.... Firewalls can easily be implemented in both hardware and software, or both. Firewalls are frequently used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private networks connected to the Internet, especially intranets. It works like security guard at the door checking all messages entering or leaving the intranet, which examines each message and blocks those that do not meet the specified security criteria.
“”A firewall protects networked computers from a third party intrusion that could compromise confidentiality. It may be both hardware and software program running on a secure computer. It has two network interfaces; one for the network is to protecting, and the other one it is exposed to. A firewall sits between the two networks a private network and a public network such as the Internet. They restrict access to any spread or damage that could be caused.