Viruses
A computer virus is malicious code that replicates by copying itself to another program, computer boot sector or document and changes how a computer works. The virus requires someone to knowingly or unknowingly spread the infection without the knowledge or permission of a user or system administrator. In contrast, a computer worm is stand-alone programming that does not need to copy itself to a host program or require human interaction to spread. Viruses and worms may also be referred to as malware.
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A virus can be spread by opening an email attachment, clicking on an executable file, visiting an infected website or viewing an infected website advertisement. It can also be spread through infected removable storage devices, such USB drives. Once a virus has infected the host, it can infect other system software or resources, modify or disable core functions or applications, as well as copy, delete or encrypt data. Some viruses begin replicating as soon as they infect the host, while other viruses will lie dormant until a specific trigger causes malicious code to be executed by the device or system. Many viruses also include evasion or obfuscation capabilities that are designed to bypass modern antivirus and anti malware software and other security defenses. The rise of polymorphic malware development, which can dynamically change its code as it spreads, has also made viruses more difficult to detect and identify.