Virus (computer) - simply explained

Everyone knows that a virus is not good for your own computer. This practical tip explains exactly what a virus is, how it works and how it spreads.

Virus explains: what is it actually?

A virus is an independent program that installs itself on the PC against the will of the user. The virus settles in software or in the operating system, causes damage there and then spreads further. So does the biological virus that causes diseases.

• You can catch a virus on the computer in various ways. The virus can be started directly via websites and email attachments. Often, the virus is also built into a program that releases the virus onto your system after it starts.
• When the virus is started, it looks for various files that it infects. This can include simple Word documents, text files, scripts, program libraries and all other files on a computer.
• Viruses have been around since the early days of computers. When the Internet did not exist at that time, viruses only spread to other computers when infected files were transferred from disk to another PC. In the meantime, there are hardly any viruses left because the spread via the Internet is much faster and more profitable. Instead of viruses, the so-called worms are much more common.
• The word virus is often used by laypeople as well as professionals as a synonym for all pests. In addition to viruses, other malware such as Trojans, worms, spyware, scareware and ransomware also belong to the malware category.

What damage does a computer virus do?

Viruses can cause different types of damage.

• Viruses can cause different types of damage. In most cases, individual files or entire systems are deleted. In some cases, Excel files were mixed up with the help of viruses, so that some companies could no longer do anything with their balance sheets.
• Hardware damage is also possible, but is rare. Among other things, a virus can overclock the graphics card, causing it to overheat and fail.
• Since the mere destruction of files is of no financial benefit to criminals, viruses have become of no interest to them. There are now significantly more lucrative pests.

How do I recognize viruses?

A good virus does not let the user know, or only very late, that the PC is infected.

• If your computer becomes noticeably slow, it can be a sign of a virus.
• To find and remove a virus, you need a virus scanner. There are many free programs for this, such as the Malwarebytes Malware Scanner.
• To prevent the virus from reaching the PC in the first place, you need anti-virus software. There are also many free options here.

In the next practical tip, we will show you exactly what to do if you have caught a virus.