Ads
related to: what is a virus virus definition dictionary computertrustedantiviruscompare.com has been visited by 10K+ users in the past month
- Free Virus Scan
Run a Free Virus Scan Today
Find & Remove Viruses & Threats
- Free Malware Removal
Best Free Anti-Malware Software
Find & Remove Malware Today
- 100% Free Antivirus
Free Antivirus Software 2025
Run a Free Antivirus Scan
- Best Antivirus 2025
Compare Best Free Antivirus Reviews
Protect Your Computer Today
- Free Virus Scan
avg.com has been visited by 100K+ users in the past month
Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
This is an accepted version of this page This is the latest accepted revision, reviewed on 30 December 2024. Computer program that modifies other programs to replicate itself and spread Hex dump of the Brain virus, generally regarded as the first computer virus for the IBM Personal Computer (IBM PC) and compatibles A computer virus is a type of malware that, when executed, replicates itself by ...
Early computer viruses were written for the Apple II and Mac, but they became more widespread with the dominance of the IBM PC and MS-DOS. The first IBM PC virus in the wild was a boot sector virus dubbed (c)Brain, created in 1986 by the Farooq Alvi brothers in Pakistan. [14]
In 1983, the term "computer virus" was coined by Fred Cohen in one of the first ever published academic papers on computer viruses. [10] Cohen used the term "computer virus" to describe programs that: "affect other computer programs by modifying them in such a way as to include a (possibly evolved) copy of itself."
A virus with this "viral envelope" uses it—along with specific receptors—to enter a new host cell. Viruses vary in shape from the simple helical and icosahedral to more complex structures. Viruses range in size from 20 to 300 nanometres; it would take 33,000 to 500,000 of them, side by side, to stretch to 1 centimetre (0.4 in).
A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. [1] Viruses infect all life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea. [2] [3] Viruses are found in almost every ecosystem on Earth and are the most numerous type of biological entity.
Computer viruses generally require a host program. [11] The virus writes its own code into the host program. When the program runs, the written virus program is executed first, causing infection and damage. A worm does not need a host program, as it is an independent program or code chunk.
Get AOL Mail for FREE! Manage your email like never before with travel, photo & document views. Personalize your inbox with themes & tabs. You've Got Mail!
To combat computer viruses and other malicious software, many security advisory organizations and anti-virus software developers compile and publish virus lists. When a new virus appears, the rush begins to identify and understand it as well as develop appropriate counter-measures to stop its propagation.
Ads
related to: what is a virus virus definition dictionary computertrustedantiviruscompare.com has been visited by 10K+ users in the past month
avg.com has been visited by 100K+ users in the past month