Briefly describe the main characteristics and significance of computer viruses

The main characteristics and significance of computer viruses: 1. It has many characteristics such as concealment, destructiveness, contagion, parasitism, executability, and aggressive attack; 2. It will directly destroy important functions of the computer. Information data, consumes memory and disk space, etc.

The main characteristics and significance of computer viruses:

1. Characteristics:

1. Concealment

Computer viruses are not easy to detect. This is because computer viruses are highly concealed and often exist in the form of hidden files or program codes. , in ordinary virus checking and killing, it is difficult to achieve timely and effective checking and killing. Viruses disguise themselves as normal programs and are difficult to detect with computer virus scans. Moreover, some viruses are designed as virus repair programs to induce users to use them, thereby implanting viruses and invading computers. Therefore, the concealment of computer viruses makes computer security protection passive, causing serious security risks.

2. Destructiveness

Viruses that invade computers are often extremely destructive, capable of destroying data and information, and even causing large-scale computer paralysis, which is harmful to computer users. causing greater losses. Computer viruses such as common Trojans and worms can invade computers on a large scale and bring security risks to computers.

3. Infectiousness

One of the major characteristics of computer viruses is their infectivity, and they can invade computers through U disks, networks, etc. After an invasion, the virus can often spread and infect uninfected computers, causing widespread paralysis and other accidents. With the continuous development of network information technology, viruses can achieve a wide range of malicious intrusions in a short period of time. Therefore, in the security defense of computer viruses, how to deal with rapid virus infection has become an important basis for effective defense against viruses and the key to building a defense system.

4. Parasitism

Computer viruses also have parasitic characteristics. Computer viruses need to be parasitic in the host to survive, in order to better perform their functions and destroy the normal functions of the host. Usually, computer viruses are parasitic in other normal programs or data, and then use certain media to spread. During the actual operation of the host computer, once certain setting conditions are reached, the computer virus will be activated. When the program is started, the computer virus will continuously assist and modify the host computer files so that its destructive effect can be exerted.

5. Executability

Computer viruses, like other legitimate programs, are executable programs, but they are not a complete program, but are parasitic on other It is an executable program, so it has all the rights available to a program.

6. Triggerability

The virus is characterized by inducing the virus to infect or attack due to the occurrence of a certain event or value.

7. Attack initiative

Viruses attack the system proactively. No matter how strict the protection measures taken by the computer system, it is impossible to completely eliminate the virus's impact on the system. System attacks, and protective measures are at best a means of prevention.

8. Targetedness of viruses

Computer viruses are targeted at specific computers and specific operating systems. For example: there are ones for IBM PCs and compatibles, there are ones for Apple's Macintosh, and there are ones for UNIX operating systems. For example, the ball virus is targeted at the DOS operating system on IBM PCs and compatible machines.

2. Significance:

(1) If a virus is activated, the computer will have a great reaction; most viruses will directly destroy the important functions of the computer when activated. Information data, it will directly destroy CMOS settings or delete important files, format the disk or rewrite the directory area, and use "junk" data to rewrite files. A computer virus is a piece of computer code that definitely occupies the computer's memory space. Some large viruses also replicate themselves inside the computer, causing a significant reduction in computer memory. When the virus is running, it also preempts interrupts, modifies the interrupt address, and adds virus information during the interrupt process. "Private goods" interfere with the normal operation of the system. After the virus invades the system, it will automatically collect important user data, steal and leak information and data, causing a large amount of user information to be leaked, causing immeasurable losses and serious consequences to users.

(2) Consume memory and disk space. For example, if you are not accessing the disk, but the disk indicator light is flashing wildly, or you find that the system has occupied a lot of memory when you are not actually running many programs, this may be a virus; many viruses are causing the problem. They are all resident in memory when active. Some file-type viruses can infect a large number of files in a short period of time, and each file is lengthened to varying degrees, causing a serious waste of disk space. Normal software often requires multiple tests by multiple people to be perfected, but computer viruses are usually quickly released by individuals after they are completed on a computer. Therefore, the harm that viruses bring to computers is not only what the manufacturer expected, but also Some are caused by computer virus errors.

(3) Computer viruses cause severe psychological pressure to users. The proliferation of viruses makes users fearful and always worried about being infected by viruses. Since most people do not know much about viruses, once there is a computer crash, abnormal software operation, etc. phenomenon, people often suspect that these phenomena may be caused by computer viruses. According to statistics, it is a common phenomenon for computer users to suspect that "the computer has a virus". More than 70% of computer users are worried that their computers have been invaded by viruses. In fact, not all computer phenomena are caused by viruses.

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