You’ve probably heard plenty about how to keep computer viruses out of your system – and the importance of doing so – but do you know what a computer virus actually is? Basically, it’s a type of malware or malicious software that can spread across computer networks and damage their software, hardware and data.
Like an organic virus, they spread, and because they’re programmed by hackers, they’re designed to disrupt systems in some way. This could be to damage data, create leaks, damage code or generally infect organisational systems. The risk of computer viruses is always growing as they become more sophisticated.
How are computer viruses discovered?
Usually, a computer virus is found via an obvious sign of a performance loss or issue. This could be because the computer starts to slow down, programs close down by themselves or applications fail. Some viruses will cause programs to crash or force users out of applications; others will crash the device, and some will scramble emails or send massive numbers of emails from a user account.
How are viruses stopped
The starting point is to have clear computer safety protocols in place, and the second is to use the right software that supports safe computing, such as file management software from www.watermarktech.co.uk/file-management-software/Â and anti-virus software.
Businesses will also direct staff to follow clear protocols such as using unique passwords with 2FA, never opening emails from unknown senders and never downloading files from the internet. Combined with robust organisational anti-virus scanning and software management systems, it’s possible to stay virus-free and one step ahead of hackers.
