VIRUS AND VIRUS ATTACK

ON COMPUTER

BY:
 S.Tejaswi,
 Huda
 Introduction
As computer users, we are all
familiar with the term computer
virus…..
But, do we know what actually a
virus is and understand how these

nuisances work ?....

 HOW THEY GOT THE NAME
o Computer viruses were named after their
biological counterparts because of their
similar traits.
o A virus passes from one entity to another
which can cause inconvenience and
suffering.
o A virus can spread into an epidemic, A
biological virus is not a living thing. A virus
is a fragment of DNA inside a protective
jacket.
WHAT IS A VIRUS?
A computer virus is a computer program
that can spread across computers and
networks by making copies of itself,
usually without the user’s knowledge.
Viruses can have harmful side-effects.
These can range from displaying irritating
messages to deleting all the files on your
computer.
VIRUS
V-VITAL
I-INFORMATION
R-RESOURCE
U-UNDER
S-SEIZE
EVOLUTION OF VIRUS
In the mid-1980s Basic and Amjad Alvi of
Lahore, Pakistan discovered that people
were pirating their software.
From these simple beginnings, an entire
virus counter-culture has emerged. Today
new viruses sweep the planet in hours and
virus scares are major news.
VARIOUS SOURCES OF VIRUS
THAT INFECT COMPUTERS?
 TYPES OF VIRUS:
TROJAN HORSE: Trojan horses are
sometimes used as a means of
infecting a user with a computer
virus which actually overwrites the
hard disk.
BACKDOOR TROJAN: It is a
program that allows someone to
take control of another user’s PC
via the internet. Subseven and
Back Orifice are among the best
known backdoor Trojans.
 WORMS:

1. Worms are similar to viruses but do not need a carrier .

2. It is a computer program that has the ability to copy
itself from machine to machine. Worms normally
move around and infect other machines through
computer networks. Worms eat up storage space and
slows down the computer. But worms don't alter or
delete files.
 Boot Sector Virus
Replaces or implants itself
in the boot sector. This
kind of virus can
prevent you from being
able to boot your hard
disk.
 Macro Virus:
Written using a simplified
macro programming language,
these viruses affect Microsoft
Office applications, such as
Word and Excel. A document
infected with a macro virus
generally modifies a pre-
existing, commonly used
command to trigger its
payload upon execution of that
command.
 PARASITIC VIRUS:

Parasitic viruses,
also known as file
viruses, attach
themselves to
programs & Acts
as a part of the
program .
 VIRUS HOAXES:
Hoaxes are reports of
non-existent viruses. A
hoax is a chain letter,
typically sent over e-
mail, which carries false
warnings about viruses or
Trojans. Antivirus
software can’t detect
virus hoaxes as they are
only email messages.
 ANTI-VIRUS
 Anti-virus software can detect viruses, prevent
access to infected files and often eliminate the
infection.
SCANNERS:
Scanners are easily the most popular form of antivirus
software but they have to be updated regularly to
recognize new viruses.
1.On-demand scanner
2.On-access scanner
CHECK SUMMER
1)Check summers are programs that can tell when
files have been changed.
2)The good thing about checksummers is that they do
not need to know anything about a virus in order to
detect it.
3)The bad thing about checksummers is that they
cannot tell the difference between a virus and a
legitimate change
 HEURISTICS:

1) Heuristic software tries to detect viruses both known

and unknown. It needs to be regularly updated to
recognize new virus.
2) Heuristics can be prone to false alarms.
 HOW TO PREVENT THEM

Run a secure operating system like UNIX or Windows NT

Avoid programs from unknown sources (like the Internet)
 Change your computer’s boot up sequence.
Keep backups of all your data
Don’t use documents in .doc and .xls format
Make users aware of the risks
Install anti-virus software and update it regularly
Stick with commercial software purchased on CDs
 Conclusion

 Generally thought upon as being awful human creations,

the existence of computer viruses, however, has opened
the world’s eyes to the potential powers they possess
and…..
 How susceptible we are to our own ingeniousness

 Chinese saying, “For every Yin, there is a Yang”

 As much as the computer revolution has helped
mankind in its quest for omniscience, there will always be
a force that deters our efforts….
QUERIES?