Computer viruses are extremely common. In fact, most computer users will experience several computer virus infections throughout the lifespan of their computer. Although computer viruses can do a lot of damage and affect productivity, most only cause minor performance issues. Let’s take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions about computer viruses.
What is a Computer Virus?
A computer virus is a program that infects files or the system areas of a computer’s hard drive. The virus spreads by making copies of itself. Viruses gain access to your computer through email attachments, sharing files, or visiting infected websites. Not all viruses cause major damage although some can permanently destroy or damage files.
What Do Computer Viruses Do?
Since viruses are computer programs, they can do anything any other program can do. Some viruses destroy or damage files while others affect computer performance and spread to other computers.
What is a Trojan Horse?
A common occurrence, a Trojan Horse is a computer program that hides a virus or other damaging program. While the program appears to do one thing, it actually introduces viruses or malware into your system. Email attachments or free software downloads often contain Trojan Horses.
Do Emails Cause Computer Viruses Infections?
Most computers become infected by viruses through email. However, simply opening and reading your email does not cause virus infection. Clicking on links or opening email attachments can. If you receive an email with a link, even if it’s from a company you trust, make sure you enter the web address in your Internet browser manually. Do not click the link or copy and paste it into your browser.
Criminals are extremely good at making emails and even websites that appear legit. Unfortunately, the only way to know for sure that you’re visiting a safe website is by entering the correct URL manually into your browser.
It’s also important not to click on any attachments unless you know for certain what they contain.
Do I need Anti-Virus Software?
Installing quality anti-virus software from a reputable company is the first step towards computer virus prevention. Once installed, you’ll need to make sure you run all updates on your system to keep anti-virus programs up-to-date.
Please contact us if you think your computer is infected with a virus. We can help you locate and resolve this issue.
