Eight types of computer viruses that you should know about

What are Computer Viruses

Computer viruses are malicious software programs that can replicate themselves and spread from one computer to another through email attachments, downloads, and other online activities. Some viruses do not do much more than replicate, whereas others can lead to significant harm or impair system functionality by causing damage to your computer, stealing your data, or even taking control of your system.

There are many different types of computer viruses, each with its own unique set of characteristics and effects on computers and can be classified by their mode of operation, their method of infection, or the type of damage they cause. It is important to understand how these viruses work and how to protect yourself from them.

In this blog, we will explore eight common types of computer viruses that you should be aware of to keep your devices and data

The 8 Most Common Types of Computer Viruses

1) Memory-Resident Virus

Memory-resident viruses are among the oldest and most common types of computer viruses, they are designed to reside and can hide in a computer's memory, and can be activated whenever the operating system is running, infecting all files that are opened. The malware can access any files or directories on compromised drives and can even disable the effectiveness of antivirus software. These viruses will slow down the computer system and may cause it to crash or freeze.

2) Direct Action Virus

A Direct Action Virus is a type of virus that is specifically designed to carry out specific actions, including infecting and modifying files in a computer's directory, rather than just spreading itself to other systems. This type of virus attaches itself to executable files, such as .COM or .EXE, for its operation. Its primary goal is to steal personal data, disrupt network activity, and delete files, which can lead to data loss or other issues. Pop-ups, redirected web searches and missing or corrupted files are among the symptoms that may be caused by these types of viruses.

3) Overwriting Viruses

Overwriting viruses are a type of malware that intentionally destroys data stored on your computer by overwriting it with random data, making it unusable. They can replace the content of your files without changing their size, making detection difficult and resulting in permanent data loss if left unchecked. The only way to remove an overwrite virus is to delete the infected file, which means losing the original data.

4) Boot sector viruses

Boot sector viruses are a type of malware that infect the boot sector of your computer systems, which is responsible for loading your operating system when you turn on your computer. Boot sector viruses used to be common in the past when computers booted from floppy disks. Nevertheless, they are now often detected on external hard drives or USB drives in the present day. Boot sector viruses can slow down your system, make files disappear, and even encrypt your files. They can also prevent your computer from booting up properly, resulting in a blue or black screen error message.

5) Macro Viruses

Macro Viruses are a type of malware that is written in the same macro language used in everyday applications such as Microsoft Word or Excel, they hide in documents and activate as soon as you open the file. It can infect any computer running any kind of OS, including Windows, macOS and Linux. These viruses can spread through file transmission to other computers, often through email attachments. They can spread quickly by infecting other files in the same software or across multiple devices, resulting in widespread infection throughout the whole network. They can cause various abnormalities in the infected files, such as missing or inserted words, and may also access the victim's email account to send copies of the infected files to their contacts. Macro viruses can also delete or compromise stored data

6) Polymorphic virus

A polymorphic virus is a type of malware that has the ability to mutate or change its code to avoid detection by antivirus software. This sneaky virus can evolve in different ways, such as changing its file name, compressing itself, or encrypting itself, making it difficult for traditional antivirus software to identify and remove it. The virus achieves this by using encryption and other techniques to scramble its code, making it appear different each time it infects a new system. A polymorphic virus can cause serious damage by stealing personal information, slowing down your computer system, and corrupting files.

7) FAT Virus

FAT Virus is a type of malware that attacks and damages the file allocation table (FAT) on your computer's hard drive, which is responsible for keeping track of the location of files on the hard drive like an index. When the FAT is corrupted, the computer may not be able to access files or even the entire system may crash. FAT viruses can spread through various means, such as infected email attachments, downloaded files from the internet, or infected programs. These viruses can cause significant damage to a computer system and may lead to data loss or the need to reformat the hard drive.

8) Web Script Viruses

Web script viruses are a type of malware that targets web browsers and website servers. These viruses can modify web page content to include malicious code or links and take control of your browser, changing its settings, redirecting to fraudulent sites, sending spam or even stealing sensitive information such as login credentials. You might encounter them through infected links or pop-ups.

Protect Your Computer from Viruses

Protecting your computer from viruses is essential in today's digital world. With the increasing digitalisation of businesses, it is important to ensure that your data and systems are secure. To protect your business from these threats, you should take proactive measures such as installing reputable antivirus software, keeping the operating system and other software up to date with the latest security patches, and being cautious of opening email attachments and clicking on suspicious links or pop-ups. Training your employees on safe internet practices can also be helpful in preventing infection by viruses and other malware.

In addition, backing up your crucial business data on a consistent basis can significantly reduce the impact of a possible virus invasion. Employing efficient content management and ECM solutions is essential in order to effectively safeguard and organize all of your valuable digital assets.