A computer virus is a harmful program that is created by individuals who intend to cause harm or disruption to systems and computers. They are hidden pieces of code that hitch to other programs or applications, and once activated they are spread like wildfire. Typically, viruses can be found attached to a document or program that has been downloaded from the internet or sent via email. The majority of countries consider it illegal to develop and spread computer viruses.
There are many different types of computer viruses which can infect machines in different ways. Certain computer viruses rely on an application in order to begin their work. Others are self-contained and can attack several systems without the need for a host. A computer virus that makes use of host programs to infect computers is often considered to be a worm, while those that do not employ the method of infection used by other programs are considered to be viruses.
Certain viruses infect a system immediately upon arrival, while others are inactive and only become active when the user executes the code. The first computer virus, developed in 1974 and similar to biological viruses, grew quickly and caused damage to the system. Stuxnet is an example of a destructive computer virus. It was designed to destroy computerized centrifuges that were used to enrich uranium.
The process of creating viruses can be extremely complicated and is not for the faint of heart. However, it can be an enjoyable and interesting way to test your understanding of computer programming languages and systems. If you’re willing to invest the time and effort there are a lot of sources available to teach you how to create viruses.