WHAT IS VIRUS
▪ Malicious code that runs on a machine without the user’s knowledge and infects the computer when executed
▪ Viruses require a user action in order
to reproduce and spread
• Boot sector
o Boot sector viruses are stored in the first
sector of a hard
drive and are loaded into memory upon
boot up
• Macro
o Virus embedded into a document and is
executed when
the document is
opened by the user
• Program
o Program viruses infect an executable or
application
• Multipartite
o Virus that combines boot and program
viruses to first
attach itself to the boot sector and system
files before
attacking other files on the
computer
• Encrypted
• Polymorphic
o Advanced version of an encrypted virus
that changes itself
every time it is executed by altering the
decryption
module to avoid detection
• Metamorphic
o Virus that is able to rewrite itself
entirely before it
attempts to infect a file (advanced version of
polymorphic
virus)
• Stealth
• Armored
o Armored viruses have a layer of
protection to confuse a
program or person analyzing it
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WHAT IS VIRUS