What IS a Virus, Exactly?

[Jeanway 0]

Is it just something people do just to see how much trouble they can cause?? Or is it just another ploy on the unsuspecting public? They create problems for us so they can sell us more stuff to fix it?? I think so.

[nik 0]

Hmmmm...... good question. I assume you mean a computer virus. I've known several computer geeks over the years, some of whom have borderline ethics. Some of the reasons people create computer viruses is not so much out of malicious intent but more for the challenge of "hacking" other systems. They sort of keep a vague scorecard of the most difficult system "hacked," the number of systems "hacked" with a single code block, damage done, etc. From what I understand, "hacking" systems is to a hacker what running a marathon might be to a runner. I imagine that there are a few programmers also who specialize in "cyber-warfare," attempting to cripple an enemy by disabling his computer system.

 

I've never heard of companies that create virus protection software writing their own viruses to sell more software, but I would imagine that a fact like that would be an incredibly heavily guarded industrial secret.

[Jeanway 0]

OH, Yea, I bet it would be. Anything devious to make you buy more stuff is. Aren't there laws against such practices? I'm sure people are tricked into buying more programs and new computers all the time. it's called "CREATIVE MARKETING" . Create a problem then foist it on the public, there is your market. It happens all the time. :blink: That's why I'm so sceptical. :blink:

[fenriz275 0]

I hear a lot about viruses and how they mess up people's computers. Everytime my computer starts acting screwier than usual one of the first things I do is a virus scan and ever since I've had a pc I've never found one on my computer or met someone who had one. Maybe I'm just lucky but they do have to do something to get people to buy all that anti-virus software. It seems to me that a bigger problem than viruses are programs that seem like they're legitimate and harmless, like the Atomic Clock screwed up Jeanway's pc. Maybe a better term for that stuff than adware or spyware would be conware. Everyday I get bombarded by ads and messages and phonecalls from people trying to con me into buying something I don't want or need. It really infuriates me that even legitimate businesses resort to conman tactics to sell their garbage. I can't even go to the grocery without them trying to get me to buy 20 cans of peas so I can save 2 cents on each can. What the heck I want 20 cans of peas for? I need caffeine. :blink: :blink:

 

Click for Spoiler:

This concludes Fen's rant for the day. :blink:

[Jeanway 0]

OK, but what is a computer virus????? :blink: Does it really make the computer sick? Or just make it act sick?? I mean can a virus actually destroy the insides of the computer??? It must tell the computer to act sick??? :blink: But, sometimes my computer is fine, other times it's sick without me doing anything. And is a computer "Worm" the same thing??

[Turak 0]

i've seen certain viruses that can destroy physical media, like a hard drive. The virus is programmed to make the heads in the hard drive work so hard the arms break, usually by almost doubling the rpm speed through windows. These aren't common to the home user, but they do exist just the same.

 

And viruses do make a computer "sick", in a manner of speaking. It could be anything from a Trojan (which gives other users access to your pc from their client, usually infected from recieving a file with the trojan piggybacked. Once the payload is dumped, a registry entry is created to make the trojan load every time windows starts, thus rendering you vulnerable to anyone with the client that can scan for active ip addresses with the trojan active) to a worm, which normally replicates itself by sending infected dummy files to every address in your address book. Either of these can be found imbedded in webpages, which makes the threat all the worse. Plus there are many different types of worms, not just the ones i just mentioned.

 

I have 2 suggestions on how to avoid this dilemma.

 

1. Make certain you have a firewall and some form of updated virus scan software.

2. Purchase a MAC...99% of the viruses that infect PC's were not written to affect MAC.

 

This is the virus encyclopedia at TrendMicro.com. Use this for all the information you need for any virus.

Edited July 30, 2004 by chronic

[Jeanway 0]

D*mn! This really makes me mad!!! :blink: Isn't life hard enough without people just TRYING to cause problems???? It's all about money, isn't it? :blink: What else :blink:

[Turak 0]

For some people it could be money, bragging rights for others. Depends on the person and their personal code of ethics. The world is a scary place. :blink:

[Jeanway 0]

Tell me About it! :blink: There is no safe place to be. :blink: Someone is always out to get you. :blink: :)

[WEAREBORG4102 0]

Well a virus can make companies lose billions. Viruses are programs that command your computer to do harmful things. My problem with macs are that they are incompatible with a lot of applications.... I have Norton internet security with firewall and virus software. Spybot S&D also scans for some trojans but not many.

[nik 0]

I have 2 suggestions on how to avoid this dilemma.

 

1. Make certain you have a firewall and some form of updated virus scan software.

2. Purchase a MAC...99% of the viruses that infect PC's were not written to affect MAC.

I would also add the following to the list:

 

3. Use Linux. While Linux is not impervious to viruses, there are VERY few (and well known among hackers because of their rarity), simply becuase Linux (or Unix for that matter) is completely transparent to any process running on it, and it's very tough to

run a "batch job" on Linux without the user knowing. Additionally, Linux configurations vary so widely from computer to computer that it's tough to have something that will "work" on all systems.

 

Yes, I'm a big fan of the Linux. I'm always afraid of someone installig the Windows Virus on my computer without me knowing.

[Jeanway 0]

Well a virus can make companies lose billions. Viruses are programs that command your computer to do harmful things. My problem with macs are that they are incompatible with a lot of applications.... I have Norton internet security with firewall and virus software. Spybot S&D also scans for some trojans but not many.

 

 

So in other words, viruses are a form of 'Industrial Espionage', right?

[WEAREBORG4102 0]

theoretically, but generally no. Unless it's Microsoft. You see..... Bill Gates is regarded as the devil in technology by most hackers who use the open source Linux. Most technology specialists (as in those not paid by microsoft) consider it to be a superior OS. However, since Microsoft comes standard with most computers, it is considered a monopoly. a lot of programmers want the viruses to strike at Microsoft because of its nasty design flaws which have never been really fixed because of corporate laziness. This resulted in the virus wave you now have today.