Different types of computer viruses that you need to know

One of the reasons why businesses hire IT support and service in Orange County is to help them protect their computers from viruses. Countless viruses are being made daily and this means that a good IT company should always stay updated and ahead of this malicious software to help protect clients’ data.

People and businesses tend to disregard the security of their devices. They realize that malicious programs have already done some costly damage when it is too late. A computer virus is a code embedded in a legit program and is created to self-replicate infecting other computer programs. Just like how people catch the flu or a cold, it can remain dormant inside a computer and gets activated when you least expect it.

Computer viruses are developed to spread from one computer to another and there are a lot of ways computers catch them. Your computer can catch them through file downloads, email attachments, unsecured links and software installations. These malicious programs can steal your important data such as passwords and hack into your online banking accounts or social media accounts. Others can wipe down your business data. Here are some common types of computer viruses that you need to know.

File infecting viruses

These are viruses that attach to executable programs. They are also known as parasitic viruses and they typically infect files with .com or .exe extensions. Some file infectors can overwrite your host files and others can format your hard drive.

Macro virus

This is another common type of virus that your IT support should protect you against. This type of virus can be found in programs such as excel or word. These viruses are stored as part of a document. They can then spread when the files are moved to other computers through email attachments or flash drives.

Browser hijacker

This type of virus targets and alters the settings of your browser. It is known as a browser direct virus because it will redirect your browser to malicious websites that you do not intend to visit. This virus is likely to pose other threats such as changing the home page of your browser and even the search engine.

Web scripting virus

This is a sneaky virus that targets very popular websites. This virus overwrites codes on a website and inserts links that install malicious software on your computer. These types of viruses can steal your information such as cookies and use the information to post things on the infected website on your behalf.

Boost sector virus

These types of viruses were common when computers were booted from floppy disks. Nowadays, they are distributed as physical media such as USB or hard drives. If the computer is infected with this virus, it will automatically load into the memory of your computer enabling control over your computer.

Resident virus

Your IT support and service in Orange County should protect you from this dangerous virus. This virus stores itself on the memory of your computer and infects files on your computer. It can interfere with the operating system of your computer leading to program and file corruption.

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