Viruses are the bane of any computer user. They mess with your system, ruin files, change programs, and ultimately infringe on your privacy.
Every week, over 18 million websites are infected with malware. As everybody’s lives become increasingly digitized, it has become necessary to know about viruses and how to identify them. Make sure you know some of the common viruses that pop up on computers so you can prevent the need for virus removal.
Browser Hijacker
This is one of the most common viruses because it affects your browser. It’s definitely the least harmful, but it is used as a tool to replace your home screen with a forced screen with tailored advertisements.
It’s basically forced adware that changes the behavior of your browser.
Macro
The Macro virus affects Office users because it is commonly found in Word or Excel. It infiltrates those programs best because they use macro language, which this particular virus tries to mimic in order to access your files.
The way this virus spreads is by sending itself to your contacts or by redirecting you to a malicious website. They’re a sneaky sort because they can just seem like a normal Office document but opening them will infect your computer.
Direct Action
This is the one most people aware of and wary about, and they attach themselves to .com and .exe files. On their own, they can’t do harm. But once you execute or install the file, it will start to spread to other files and access your data.
It’s best to scan any files of this nature if you’re downloading them from an online source. These viruses can block your own access to crucial files.
Resident
The Resident is one of the most damaging virus types because it stores itself in your computer memory. They are extremely dangerous as they corrupt your system operations and can take almost full control of everything they access.
The worst part of this virus is that it can even attack your antivirus software.
Multipartite
Multipartite is a complicated virus that is hard to get rid of with basic software. It attacks both the boot system and executables, so it can affect programs, folders, and nearly every part of a system’s operations.
Polymorphic
What makes polymorphic viruses so problematic for virus removal is that they are constantly morphing. They change codes all the time, so once your antivirus figures out their code, they switch it up and evade destruction.
Web Scripting
This is the virus to be most wary of when surfing the web. It infiltrates your web browser so that malicious users can get your data. This means any passwords, personal information, and sensitive financial data are at risk.
Boot Sector
People think this is mostly obsolete because it used to be a floppy disk virus. That said, they have found new life in USB sticks, external hard drives, and email attachments. When they get activated, they damage the PC by attacking the boot record.
Conclusion
It’s important to keep your computer safe using antivirus software that can scan your system for threats and security flaws. Preventative action is always the priority. If your software detects a virus or you are noticing suspicious activity, you have to act fast and quarantine at-risk files and perpetrators so you can make use of a computer cleaning service.
Make sure you can clear your computer from threats and have tools for data recovery. If you need these services and repairs for your hardware, Finchum fixes IT. Reach out to us and get an instant quote.
