Definitions for "VIrus "
Related Terms:
Worm, Anti-virus program, Viruses, Antivirus, Anti-virus, Antivirus software, Anti-virus software, Stealth virus, Antivirus program, Computer virus, Virus checker, Computer virus, Macro virus, Macro viruses, Polymorphic virus, Anti virus software, Tunneling, Infection, Computer worm, Virus definitions, Joke program, Computer virus, Scanner, Payload, Multipartite virus, Dropper, Virus signature, Blended threat, Virus definition file, Trojan horse, Malicious code, Logic bomb, Phage, In the wild, Trojan, Malware, Variant, Viruliferous, Rogue program, Trojans, Bacteriophage, Stealth, Trojan horses, Anti-spyware software, Companion virus, Latent infection, Adeno-associated virus, Helper virus, Boot sector infector
VIrus was originally taken from busybox and stripped of most unrelated stuff.
the causative agent of a disease, .
any of numerous submicroscopic complex organic objects which have genetic material and may be considered as living organisms but have no proper cell membrane, and thus cannot by themselves perform metabolic processes, requiring entry into a host cell in order to multiply. The simplest viruses have no lipid envelope and may be considered as complex aggregates of molecules, sometimes only a nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) and a coat protein. They are sometimes viewed as being on the borderline between living and nonliving objects. They are smaller than living cells in size, usually between 20 and 300 nm; thus they pass through standard filters, and were previously referred to as filterable virus. The manifestations of disease caused by multiplication of viruses in cells may be due to destruction of the cells caused by subversion of the cellular metabolic processes by the virus, or by synthesis of a virus-specific toxin. Viruses may infect animals, plants, or microorganisms; those infecting bacteria are also called bacteriophages. Certain bacteriophages may be non-destructive and benign in the host; -- see bacteriophage.
Fig.: Any morbid corrupting quality in intellectual or moral conditions; something that poisons the mind or the soul; as, the virus of obscene books.
a program or segment of program code that may make copies of itself (replicate), attach itself to other programs, and perform unwanted actions within a computer; also called computer virus or virus program. Such programs are almost always introduced into a computer without the knowledge or assent of its owner, and are often malicious, causing destructive actions such as erasing data on disk, but sometime only annoying, causing peculiar objects to appear on the display. The form of sociopathic mental disease that causes a programmer to write such a program has not yet been given a name. Compare trojan horse{3}.
A microorganism that can infect cells and cause disease.
A computer programming code that makes copies of itself without any intervention from the user. Some viruses do more than simply replicate themselves, they might display messages, install other software or files, delete software of files, etc. A virus requires the presence of some other program to replicate itself. Typically viruses spread by attaching themselves to programs and in some cases files, for example the file formats for Microsoft word processor and spreadsheet programs allow the inclusion of programs called "macros" which can in some cases be a breeding ground for viruses.
A tiny micro-organism, smaller than bacteria, responsible for infections such as colds, flu, polio and chicken pox
The smallest known infectious agent, it must reproduce inside a living cell.
a computer program designed to run on one computer (often with undesirable effects such as deleting files or sending unsolicited e-mails) and send copies to as many other computers as possible.
a microorganism that grows and reproduces in living cells of a host (bacteria, plant, or animal); the simplest form of life, more than 200 viruses are known to produce human disease.
A small microorganism which cannot grow or reproduce apart from a living cell. A virus invades cells and uses their chemical machinery to keep itself alive and to replicate itself. It may reproduce with fidelity (identically the same) or with errors (mutations)—this ability to mutate is responsible for the ability of some viruses to change slightly in each infected person, making treatment more difficult. Viruses cause many common human infections, and are also responsible for a bevy of rare diseases.
Viruses are very small. In fact, they can only be seen by powerful microscopes. They are, however, very aggressive and can lead to a large variety of diseases in plants as well as animals. Viruses are only strands of nucleic acid (genetic material) bundled in a protein coat and are therefor not complete organisms (like, for example, bacteria are). They must rely on their host organism for survival. Viruses can be transmitted via insects and animals, in seeds, or in pollen. As there is no cure for viral diseases, infected material can only be removed and destroyed to control their spread.
The smallest form of life known to be capable of producing disease or infection, usually considered to be of large molecular size. They multiply by assembly of component fragments in living cells, rather than by cell division, as do most bacteria.
a set of instructions, hidden in a computer system or transferred via e-mail or electronic files, that can cause problems with a computer’s ability to perform normally
A disease-causing microbe that can replicate only in the living cells of other organisms
The most primitive type of infectious agent. Viruses must invade cells of humans or other animals in order to reproduce themselves. The most common viral infection is the common cold. Viral infections tend to be much harder to treat than bacterial (germ) infections.
Programs designed to destroy programs and data on computers of unsuspecting users.
A virus is some kind of software that lives in a host computer, and uses a variety of strategies to try to reproduce itself to other computers. However, it has no way to spread without outside help; frequently viruses are contained in email attachments, and are spread when the user opens the attachment. A virus does not exploit a vulnerability in an operating system or application, it takes advantage of a user.
A computer equivalent of a human virus, a piece of code that inserts itself into (or infects) other pieces of code.
A set of instructions designed to sabotage computer systems by causing annoying or damaging effects, usually having been written as a malicious prank. A Virus gets its name from the fact that it infects programs with a copy of itself, thereby spreading to other computers. At the University of Kent, public PCs are protected by anti-virus software.
A software program that replicates itself and harms computers on a network.
A simple, noncellular particle (entity) that can reproduce only inside living cells (of other organisms). The simple structure of viruses is their most important characteristic. Most viruses consist only of a genetic material—either DNA or RNA—and a protein coating. Viruses are “alive†in that they can reproduce themselves, but they have none of the other characteristics of living organisms. Viruses cause a large variety of significant diseases in plants and animals, including humans.
A computer virus is a relatively small program or piece of code that is distributed via email, website, an infected floppy disk or CD and when loaded onto a computer is capable of replicating itself repeatedly. What triggers a virus will vary - by activation-execution, by viewing or by date. While some viruses will not cause any damage, there are many malicious viruses which attempt to execute damaging activities such as sending random emails using your own address book, deleting files from your PC, disabling various components such as anti-virus software. See: http://www.security.iia.net.au/australian_resources/security_issues/viruses.html For a thorough (but plain language) explanation of all aspects of viruses, it is worth visiting the Computer Research and Technology website at: http://www.crt.net.au/etopics/virus.htm
These dreaded 'creatures' are actually programs written to surreptitiously destroy the programs in a computer system. Viruses cannot cause problems in email or on floppy disks and the programs that contain them must have been downloaded onto the hard disk and executed in order for their damage to be done. There are a number of anti-virus programs in modern computer systems.
Any programming code written to damage computer systems.
Malicious programme or piece of code which could be destructive.
The smallest form of microorganisms capable of causing disease. Especially, a virus of fecal origin that is infectious to humans by waterborne transmission.
A virus is a type of computer program designed to create havoc by replicating itself undetected. Unfortunately you can catch a virus from the Internet and through email.
A program or a part of program code that replicates - that is, "infects" another program, boot sector, partition sector, or document that supports macros, by inserting itself or attaching itself to that medium. Most viruses only replicate, though, many do a large amount of damage as well.
any of a large group of minute organisms that cannot grow or reproduce outside a host cell. During replication, a virus integrates its genetic material (DNA or RNA) into the host cell and takes over the cell's biological mechanisms to reproduce new viral particles.
A tiny organism—smaller than a bacterium—that can invade the body and cause disease. Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E are caused by viruses.
A submicroscopic infectious agent consisting of particles made up of DNA or RNA which are usually covered by protein and reproduce only in living cells; cannot be separated by filters.
A program designed to replicate itself and spread to other computers. Some viruses additionally are designed to damage data or halt operations on a system, other are designed to send out spam message or to participate in DDOS attacks. Viruses can spread themselves over the network in the means of email or security flaws in the Operating systems.
A computer program designed to cause damage to computer files.
Something to be avoided if at all possible, viruses can be quite harmless but a nuisance, or completely debilitating and expensive. Most often a virus will arrive as an email attachment and once opened, begin replicating itself on your machine by incorportating itself into other programs, or using your address book to spread itself across the internet. Good quality anti-virus software nowadays is not only a good investment but if you spend a long time online, a necessity.
Type of organism that 'breeds' by getting into the cells of another organism. In doing this, they often cause disease. For example, flu is caused by a virus. Viruses are tiny and can only be seen under a microscope. Some viruses contribute to causing cancer by causing mutations in genes.
One of a group of submicroscopic infectious agents.
Also known as a trojan horses or worms. These destructive programs may infect you computer, causing just about any kind of damage. They may be removed with virus removal programs.
A program which may be installed and run on a computer without the user's knowledge. It may stand alone or attach itself to another program. Many computer viruses cause damage to the data stored on a computer. Safe sharing of software and use of anti-virus programs offer some protection against computer viruses.
Small genetic element, composed of either DNA or RNA that is protected by a protein coat. Virus is capable of existing either inside a cell (intracellular) or outside a cell (extracellular). Viruses cannot make copies of themselves without invading another cell and using some of its machinery.
A computer virus, according to Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, is "a computer program usually hidden within another seemingly innocuous program that produces copies of itself and inserts them into other programs or files, and that usually performs a malicious action (such as destroying data)". Two categories of viruses, macro viruses and worms, are especially common today. Computer viruses are never naturally occurring; they are always man-made. Once created and released, however, their spread is not directly under human control.
A malicious computer program that causes a computer system to do some action that the operator has not requested. Like biological viruses, computer viruses may replicate and infect other computers systems.
A program which illicitly copies itself into memory and other programs, replicating and possibly deleting files or causing some other harm. Infected programs transferred from one system to another spread the virus further.
Microscopic organism that causes diseases in plants.
A destructive computer program secretly attached to an existing program that alters and deletes data and causes other malfunctions
A program that can hide in your computer and cause damage to your files and other such nasty things. A virus will often spread to another computer if the other computer starts using files from the infected computer (just like a real virus!).
A program which replicates itself on computer systems by incoporating itslf into other programs that are shared among computer systems.
intracellular parasites
Tiny micro-organism that invades cells, alters their genetic machinery, and turns them into factories for production of more of the virus
a non-living particle containing genetic matter (nucleic acid) and covering of protein. The covering may contain lipid (fatty matter). Viruses can multiply only inside a suitable living cell. Bacterial viruses often contain a hollow tail which injects the genetic matter into a suitable host bacterium. LINK to phage structure page.
a minute organism that cannot grow or reproduce outside the cells of a host. During replication a virus integrates its genetic material (DNA or RNA) into a host cell and takes over the cell's biological mechanisms to reproduce new virus particles.
Consists of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA) inside a protein coat. Submicroscopic pathogenic agent.
they are the smallest living micro-organisms. In order to multiply and survive they have to behave as parasites of cells of which enzymatic machinery is "hijacked" for their own benefit.
A program that replicates itself by incorporating itself into other programs that are shared among computer systems. See also Trojan Horse, worm. WWWebfx Home Page
A non-cellular infectious agent that reproduces only in living cells.
A computer program designed to replicate itself. Many computer viruses are not harmful; some are harmful and can either damage information and programs on your computer or cause your computer to malfunction.
a microscopic organism often causing diseases. In hair removal, the chance of viral transfer can be nearly eliminated using universal precautions.
This is a program that can damage your PC files. It is often created intentionally to do so.
"The smallest form of life, a parasite that can replicate only inside cells, using the cell's machinery. Viruses are small particles made of proteins, with a core containing DNA or RNA."
a programme that replicates itself in other programs, usually causing damage
An infectious, sub-microscopic particle. Causes plant and animal disease.
ultramicroscopic infectious agent that replicates itself only within cells of living hosts; many are pathogenic; a piece of nucleic acid ( DNA or RNA) wrapped in a thin coat of protein
Particles containing DNA or RNA that are much smaller than bacteria and require a host cell to multiply.
A small living particle that can infect cells and change how the cells function. Infection with a virus can cause a person to develop symptoms. The disease and symptoms that are caused depend on the type of virus and the type of cells that are infected.
Simplest form of life on Earth, consisting of nucleic acid wrapped in a protein coat. Viruses need to infect animal, plant or bacterial cells before they can reproduce.
Any of a vast group of minute, often disease causing structures composed of a protein coat and a core of DNA and/or RNA. Because they are incapable of reproducing on their own, viruses are not technically living organisms. Unlike bacteria, viruses are not affected by antibiotics.
infectious agents, smaller than bacteria, that invade the cells of hosts and alters their functioning in order to begin replication of virus particles. Viruses are essentially inert outside of a host, and consist solely of genetic material surrounded by a protein coat. Associated terms: viral disease
A segment of programming code that copies itself and can often have a destructive intent. It has similar behavioral characteristics of real viruses in that there can be a trigger to get it started (like a date code or re-booting), it can "reproduce" itself by using the computer's own hardware and software, it can cause significant damage, and it can be transferred to another computer when files are exchanged either with floppies or via a network. Usually, the viruses are platform specific, and different computers have different susceptibilities with Unix machines being the most impervious and Microsoft® Windows® 95/98 being much more susceptible.
Submicroscopic microbe that causes infectious disease. Viruses can reproduce only in living cells.
A microscopic particle composed of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat. Viruses replicate by entering a cell, releasing their own DNA or RNA and controlling the DNA of the cell to manufacture more of the virus DNA or RNA and the surrounding protein coating. In the process the cell is usually destroyed, its walls disrupted, and the virus released into the surrounding enviroment.
a tiny infectious organism that lives inside body cells.
A small replicator consisting of little but a package of DNA or RNA which, when injected into a host cell, can direct the cell's molecular machinery to make more viruses.
Though it is unclear even within the anti-virus industry what actually constitutes a virus, one known element is that it is a program designed to replicate. Spread is achieved by infecting other files within a system. Viruses can also incorporate a payload, which is often malicious. The first PC virus was discovered in-the-wild in 1986, and today, there are over 54,000 viruses that are currently known. About 200 of the viruses that exist at any time are in-the-wild threats. Viruses have been made even more effective by being combined with worms and Trojans, to do more damage to a system while spreading faster.
L.: poison, slimy liquid] • Any of a group of ultramicroscopic infectious particles constructed of nucleic acid and protein (and, sometimes, lipid) that can reproduce only in living cells.
Group of microorganisms smaller than bacteria that cannot be seen with a conventional microscope. Viruses are large protein molecules that can multiply only by attacking living cells.
A small, self-replicating, malicious program that attaches itself to an executable file or vulnerable application and delivers a payload that ranges from annoying to extremely destructive. A file virus executes when an infected file is accessed. A macro virus infects the executable code embedded in Microsoft® Office® programs that allows users to generate macros.
Any self-replicating or infectious software. A Worm is a type of Virus.
A destructive computer program that can replicate itself. Usually an executable program, a virus is generally transferred by infected disks or by downloading infected files from the Internet or from bulletin boards. Viruses can also be transferred across
a tiny germ that lives inside your body's cells and kills them. Some viruses can become latent
Any group of infectious microorganisms that reproduce only in living cells. They cause diseases such as mumps and Hepatitis A and can be transmitted through food.
a little program designed to cause trouble. It may be sent to you as an attachment.
a noncellular organism that can reproduce itself only within a host cell. It contains genetic material within a membrane or protein coat.Once inside a cell, the viral genetic material causes the cellular machinery to reproduce progeny viruses.
A program designed to replicate itself and spread to other computers. Some viruses additionally are designed to damage data or halt operations on a system. Viruses can spread through diskettes, CD-ROMs, email attachments, and the Internet. (See the Quick Tip on viruses at http://xbase.ucdavis.edu/itx/article.cfm?art=307.)
A disease-causing microorganism that depends on a host cell to survive and reproduce.
fragments of nucleic acid surrounded by a protein coat; may attack cells and replicate within the cells, destroying them.
An infectious agent composed of a protein coat around a DNA or RNA core; to reproduce, viruses depend on living cells.
Malicious software program. Prevented (hopefully) by prudent behavour, using anti-virus software and by keeping it up to date with the latest virus signatures. Although theoretically different to Worms and Trojans, similar measures prevent and control infections. Spread largely via infected email attachments.
A microorganism (bug) smaller than a bacterium, that cannot grow or reproduce apart from a living cell. A virus invades living cells and uses their chemical machinery to keep itself alive and to make copies of itself. Viruses cause many common human infections and diseases including the common cold and AIDS. Viruses do not respond to antibiotics but some can be treated with antiviral drugs.
An executable file or small program attached to an email. When you open the attachment, it executes in the background and operates much like the worm.
Submicroscopic parasites responsible for causing a variety of diseases.
A virus is a computer program that can embed itself into other programs on your computer, and may cause damage to your files. Email is a common way to spread viruses, and opening an unknown email can trigger the spread of the virus onto your computer. Popular anti-virus software such as Zone Labs' ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite, McAfee Virus Scan, Norton AntiVirus, or Sophos Anti-Virus can help protect your computer from the latest viruses. Find out about the special security software discount offer from Zone Labs.
A disease-causing agent that is able to live and reproduce only inside living cells. Viruses cause many infectious diseases.
unwanted instruction that can change or delete programs or data.
A microscopic germ which reproduces within the living cells of the organism it infects.
A tiny organism that multiples within cells and causes disease such as chickenpox, measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis and hepatitis. Antibiotics, the drugs used to kill bacteria, do not affect viruses.
a microscopic organism that causes infection
A malicious program which is copied from computer to computer like a biological virus moves from person to person.
a small intracellular parasite with a single type of nucleic acid (either DNA or RNA) which is usually within a protein shell. Viruses are wholly dependent on the host cell for their replication.
a minute infective agent which depends on the cell it infects for its replication and survival.
A virus is a special type of program. Normally it has only two functions to replicate undetected and to create havoc.
A program written to cause harm on a user's computer. Related sections: Computer Viruses
A computer virus is a program or malicious code created specifically to invade files, programs, computers and networks with the intent to wreak havoc on them. Some viruses are able to replicate themselves and release to other computers via email and other data transport devices.
A nucleoprotein structure consisting of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein capsid. Viruses are unable to synthesize proteins or generate energy and are dependent on host cells for the production of progeny.
A program or piece of code that "infects" one or more other programs by embedding a copy of itself in them.
a microscopic infectious agent that can multiply only in living cells
Viruses were first described as disease-causing agents that can multiply only in cells and that by virtue of their tiny size pass through ultra fine filters that hold back even the smallest bacteria or in other terms.
Infectious agent composed of a protein coat around a DNA or RNA core; unwanted replicating program that places itself into other programs shared among computer systems.
A program that uses various techniques to duplicate itself and travel from computer to computer. Viruses can be harmless, annoying, or dangerous. See Internet Safety for more information.
A computer virus is a program which attaches itself to, overwrites, or otherwise replaces another program in order to reproduce itself without the knowledge of the PC user.
an infectious agent of small size and simple composition that can multiply only in the living cells of animals, plants or bacteria. In the strictest sense, viruses should not be considered organisms, because they are not free-living: they cannot reproduce and carry on metabolic processes without a host cell.
A computer program which inserts itself into other programs where it remains until the host program is executed. Most viruses are written to automatically replicate themselves and to (usually) cause some sort of damage to the contents of the data on the users hard disk drive and/or network.
L., slimy, liquid, poison] A submicroscopic, noncellular particle composed of a nucleic acid core and a protein coat (capsid); parasitic; reproduces only within a host cell.
A virus is a computer program (usually disguised as something else) which is designed to cause undesirable effects on computer systems. Viruses are often designed so that they can be transferred from one computer to another without the users knowing. They can be hidden in e-mail's, on CD's or in files that are shared across the Internet. Computer viruses can cause harm to computer systems and need to be avoided.
The smallest (10 to 300 micron diameter) lifeform capable of producing infection and diseases in man.
a computer file that messes up your computer
Are smaller than bacteria. Viruses cannot grow or replicate on its own, they are regarded as living organisms in the usual sense of living. Most viruses evidently originated as pieces of the genetic machinery of bacteria. A virus replicates itself within the host cell by directing the machinery of the cell to synthesize it self. They are responsible for many types of diseases.
A virus is a nonliving small particle that infects cells in biological organisms. Viruses can reproduce only by invading and controlling other cells as they lack the cellular machinery for self reproduction
A program that replicates itself from one file or disk to another without your consent. They are spread through floppy disks, networks, and on-line services and can go undetected (unless you have an antiviral utility) until something goes wrong. Some viruses deliberately destroy data, and even those designed to be benign can cause crashes, slowdowns, and file corruption.
Software used to infect a computer. After the virus code is written, it is buried within an established program. Once that program is executed, the virus code is activated and attaches copies of itself to other programs in the system. Infected programs copy the virus to other programs.
A destructive program (virus) usually hidden inside of an innocuous looking package like a game or utility program. If you bring a virus into your machine, or your host machine, it may be destructive enough to wipe out system files.
A group of tiny organisms capable of growing and copying themselves while living within cells of the body.
Simple submicroscopic parasites of plants, animals, and bacteria that often cause disease and consist of a core of RNA or DNA surrounded by a protein coat. Reference: V3 white blood cells Blood cells that have a nucleus and cytoplasm and help protect the body from infection and disease.
A computer program designed to destroy data or disrupt how a computer operates. Viruses are generally passed along as attachments in an email message. Their are many anti-virus programs designed to catch and disable viruses on you computer.
Program designed to cause damage to a computer.
Is a fragment of DNA or RNA that depends on the infection of host cells for their reproduction. They are not cells. Viruses are thought to parts of the genetic code found in either eukaryote or prokaryote cells that have the ability to exist on their own. At times viruses are metabolically inert and technically non-living.
A special type of program which is designed for malicious purposes. It spreads by attaching itself to other programs and then carrying out unwanted and often damaging operations.
A program or piece of code that is loaded onto the users computer without his or her knowledge and runs automatically. Usual viruses copy themselves over and over again, waste memory space, cause erratic compter operation, alter files, disadle other programs or slowly bring an operating system to a halt. (also known as trojans, malware, worms)
A malicious program that spreads by attaching itself to other computer files or programs.
a submicroscopic, disease-causing agent
An ultra-microscopic (one dimension less than 200 µm) organism. Viruses cannot reproduce alone but must first infect a living cell and usurp its synthetic and reproductive facilities. Responsible for some diseases in plants and animals.
a file maliciously planted in your computer that can damage files and disrupt your system.
Extremely small infectious particle capable of reproducing itself and causing discase(s) when it invades living cells.
Like a biological virus, a computer virus is something you don't want to get. C...
240\240\240\240\240\240\240\240\240\240\240\240\240 Traditionally, a program t hat infects other programs or operating systems and moves between systems with file transfers. More recently, this term and worm are merging due to Microsoft\222s problems with macro viruses, Active X, and Visual Basic Scripting.
An infectious agent, especially any of a group of ultramicroscopic, infectious agents that reproduce only in living cells.
A program that when loaded infects, alters or destroys other programs. Some virus programs cause major trouble and some are nothing more than annoying pranks.
A program or piece of code written with the deliberate intention of corrupting files which stores and sometimes replicates itself without the user's knowledge.
A program designed as a prank or sabotage to run on your computer without your permission. The best way to protect yourself is to install an anti-virus program, which will search for viruses. Update that program frequently, because of the high rate at which new viruses are produced. (Although Technet recommends use of anti-virus programs, it cannot support them.)
A large group of infectious agents ranging in size from 10 to 250 nanometers in diameter, composed of a protein sheath surrounding a nucleic acid core and capable of infecting all animals, plants and bacteria; characterized by total dependence on living cells for reproduction and by a lack of independent metabolismâ€.* Wetlands – A land form associated with a specific set of soil, vegetative, and hydrologic criteria as defined by the U.S. Army.
Means any computer instruction, information, data or programme that destroys, damages, degrades or adversely affects the performance of a computer resource or attaches itself to another computer resource and operates when a programme, data or instruction is executed or some other event takes place in that computer resource.
a computer virus is a program which copies itself to other locations. Some, but not all, viruses play tricks or do deliberate damage (payload). Some viruses also do destructive things like delete files. Some viruses play 'amusing tricks' like putting unexpected messages on the screen. Most viruses do nothing except copy themselves from disk to disk. Many viruses do damage by accident because they are not very well written! Currently, there are over 15,000 viruses and variants in existence and about 500 arrive on the scene every month. Fortunately most of these viruses are not in circulation, but enough are to make life 'interesting'.
Viruses, the smallest known life form cause illness in animals and humans. They need a living host for reproduction. Viral foodborne infections such as Norwalk and Hepatitis A are transmitted through the food supply either by infected food handlers or by a contaminated water source. Viruses multiply in the intestine and are excreted in large amounts during the illness through feces and vomit. Food can become contaminated easily by infected food handlers who fail to wash their hands after using the toilet. Contamination of food by infected food handlers is probably the most common cause of viral foodborne illness.
a group of highly contagious infectious agents that cause a variety of colds and chest infections. Viruses are not affected by antibiotics, however the influenza vaccine is effective against the influenza virus.
A submicroscopic genetic constituent which can alternate between two distinct phases. As a virus particle, or virion, it is DNA or RNA enveloped in an organic capsule. As an intracellular virus, it is viral DNA or RNA inserted into the host organisms DNA or RNA.
Particles made up of a shell of protein containing a core of DNA or RNA. They can only reproduce by taking over the mechanisms of a cell that they have infected. Viruses cause diseases such as mumps, colds , influenza and chicken pox
A set of programming instructions designed to sabotage computer systems by causing annoying or occasionally damaging effects, usually having been written as a malicious prank. It gets its name from the fact that it infects program s with a copy of itself, thereby spreading to other computers.
A tiny organism composed of a core of nucleic acid usually encased in a protein. A virus hasn't its own nucleus and so has none of the 'molecular machinery' to live. Viruses are capable of infecting living cells, where they take over the 'molecular machinery' inside the nucleus of their host. They are characterised by their total dependence upon a living host, and only multiply within the living cells of the host.
A term for a group of microbes, which, with few exceptions, are capable of passing through fine filters that retain bacteria; they are incapable of growth or reproduction apart from living cells.
Program projected to infect and, sometimes, to destroy other softwares and equipments of the computer.
a microscipic infectious organism that reproduces inside living cells
A particle consisting of DNA or RNA protein capsid, and sometimes an outer envelope. Viruses are inactive until they infect a host, whether plant, animal, or bacteria. They then use the host to reproduce themselves. ( see also)
A piece of programming code, usually disguised as something else, which can damage files on a computer or computer components. A virus is often designed so that it is automatically spread to other computer users. A virus can be transmitted as an attachment to an e-mail message, as a download, or via a diskette or CD. Some viruses come into effect as soon as their code is executed, whereas other viruses lie dormant until circumstances cause their code to be executed by the computer.
a program that reproduces its own code by attaching itself to other executable files so that the virus code runs when the infected executable file is run. Viruses almost always seek to do damage as well as replicate."Virus" is often used (carelessly IMHO) for any kind of malware -- worms, Trojans, spyware, etc.
A piece of potentially malicious code that, when run, attaches itself to (" infects") other programs, running again when those programs are run.
"Malware" that spreads by attaching itself to another resource on a computer. Early viruses spread by attaching themselves to application programs, but current viruses spread by email. Contrast this with "worm."
A virus is a program created for the purpose of wreaking havoc on computers and networks. The mischief may be very minor, such as causing an image or message to appear on your screen, or it can do serious damage by changing or destroying files.
A virus is a computer program deliberately written to cause a computer to malfunction, usually by erasing or damaging data. These programs can be hidden among normal programs or files, or even inside them. They often copy themselves from disk to disk along with other programs or files, and can lay "dormant" until the computer performs a certain activity or until a preset time. No virus can operate while a computer is powered off or copy itself to a write-protected disk. Some of Empower's preferences, such as "Disable startup from the floppy drives" and "Disable floppy drives after startup" can help to prevent the introduction and spread of viruses. Copy Protecting a file (Empower Pro Only) will stop infected files from being moved between machines.
Code written to infect computers with destructive macros or applications.
A microscopic particle comprising a core of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat. A virus is not able to reproduce without infecting a cell. The virus takes over the cellular machinery, and the cell becomes a ‘virus factory’.
A computer virus is a program that performs a malicious act, such as deleting necessary files, or duplicating files until your hard drive is full, etc. A virus always hides in another application. An infected document will look normal and may even perform normally. This means that it is hard for an ordinary user to tell if a system is or is not infected.
A program that copies itself across the Internet, especially via email (or by other means, e.g. floppy disk). These programs can do annoying or nasty things to your computer. If you use the Internet you should use a virus killer program. We have been pleased with the protection received from these commercially available virus killers: Mcafee VirusScan and Norton Antivirus.
An infective agent smaller than a bacterium.
A computer program that can damage another program or data.
A tiny infectious particle that can invade a cell. Viruses are often used to deliver therapeutic genetic material in gene therapy treatments, because of their ability to target specific cell types.
A tiny piece of DNA or RNA usually surrounded by a shell of proteins or fats which can infect a cell.
Program designed for undesirable tasks (from the recipient's point of view). This can cover a wide spectrum ranging from a simple warning message to the transmission of confidential data (passwords for instance), destruction of data or even putting some hardware out of order. Viruses which propagate via a network are called "worms".
A computer virus is a manmade program or piece of code that causes an unexpected, usually negative, event. Viruses are often disguised games or images with clever marketing titles so the user will click on them.
Virus is the term for a group of microbes which, with a few exceptions, are capable of passing through fine filters that retain most bacteria. Viruses are incapable of growth and reproduction outside of a living cell. Most viruses contain either DNA or RNA, but a select group called retroviruses may contain both. Viruses replicate by releasing their DNA or RNA into the host cell; the viral DNA or RNA in turn directs the host cell's "machinery" to churn out more viral DNA or RNA. Classification of viruses depends on mode of transmission, host range, symptoms and other factors.
A very small particle made up of nucleic acid with a protein covering, or protein coat; not cells but can reproduce in the cells of living organisms.
a microorganism, smaller than bacteria, that invades a cell and uses the cell's metabolic systems to reproduce. A virus consists of either DNA or RNA surrounded by a protective coat. Unlike most bacteria, viruses cannot live on their own, they have to have a host cell to survive.
Infectious microscopic particle composed of a nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) inside a protein coat; relies on the host cell it invades to carry out biochemical steps that are essential for particle replication.
An infectious microbe that requires a host cell (plant, animal, human, or bacterial) in which to reproduce. It is composed of proteins and genetic material (either DNA or RNA).
A malicious program that infects other files and can spread when executed as part of those files.
Infectious chemical agent composed of a nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) inside a protein coat.
Executable code that infects or attaches itself to other executable code to perform a malicious or mischievous act such as erasing/editing files, locking up systems, or sending out e-mails.
A vrius program is a program that infects files on a computer to spread (not to be confussed with a worm) And usally does something malishious
Viruses are executable programs that copy themselves onto other computers. Most viruses attach themselves to other programs or to special parts on disks, and as those files execute or are accessed, the virus spreads. Viruses cause unwanted events - some are harmless (such as nuisance messages), others are serious (such as the destruction of data).
Small program that attaches itself to a legitimate program. When the legitimate program runs, the virus copies itself onto other legitimate programs in a form of reproduction.
Viruses are computer programs that are usually hidden within another seemingly innocuous program. A virus produces copies of itself and inserts these copies into other programs or files. Viruses usually perform a malicious action (such as destroying data). Viruses typically defined to include Worms and Macro Viruses.
A program designed to replicate itself and cause the user problems. While some viri are harmless, most destroy data or cause errors in other programs upon contact.
A computer program that can automatically jump from one computer to install itself on another computer. Viruses are harmful because they generally damage any computer on which they're installed. The damage can be anything from simply displaying a message, to deleting files, to totally wiping out all data on the computer. There are many computer programs on the market that will monitor your computer for the presence of a computer virus and either alert you when a virus is detected or eliminate the virus from your system.
A program which replicates – a virus is not necessarily harmful but some destroy data.
A virus is a contagious computer program that spreads quickly across huge numbers of computer systems by sneaking into the program files. Many are harmless, others are irritating, but some can destroy a computer completely. Hoax viruses and joke viruses are harmless and usually designed to be funny. A Trojan Horse virus is often a downloadable file that is disguised as a program. When opened, it will sit inside your computer and damage its security systems, allowing a hacker to gain access. The most prevalent of the damaging virus types is the Worm. It arrives in an e-mail to your Inbox, works its way into that computer's e-mail address book, and then re-sends itself to some or all of the names in that address book in order to spread the virus farther and farther. See also anti-virus.
A destructive self-replicating program that spreads by inserting copies of itself to infect other programs or disks.
A very small infectious agent that carries proteins and nucleic acids (DNA or RNA) in a protective coat. After infecting a cell (also called a host cell) and injecting its genetic material inside the host, a virus may lie dormant (inactive) for a length of time. Viruses depend on the host cells to survive; infected cells act as virus-making factories. Viruses contribute to the etiology of certain cancers. See infection. They are also used as vectors (vehicles or tools) to deliver drugs or carry genes for gene therapy. W-Z
one of a group of minute infectious agents characterized by a lack of an independent metabolism and by the ability to replicate only within living host cells.
A strand of genetic material (DNA or RNA) contained in a tiny capsule of protein.
a tiny organism or germ that can cause disease in humans, animals and plants; viruses that cause diseases in humans include HIV, polio, measles, common colds, flu.
Minute infectious agent, only able to multiply inside a living host cell.
A replicating code segment that attaches itself to a program or data file. Viruses might or might not not contain attack programs or trapdoors. Unfortunately, many have taken to calling any malicious code a virus. If you mean trojan horse or worm', say trojan horse or worm.
A virus is a piece of programming code usually disguised as something else that causes some unexpected and usually undesirable event. A virus is often designed so that it is automatically spread to other computer users. Many of the email spams contain virus attachment that can infect your computer to help the spammers send out more spams.
A computer virus is code that recursively replicates a possibly evolved copy of itself. Viruses infect a host file or system area, or they simply modify a reference to such objects to take control and then multiply again to form new generations.
Malicious computer program that can infect other computer programs by modifying them to include copies of itself
Small computer programs that make your computer malfunction - sick, for short. Some are a nuisance. Others can destroy all your data.
Any of various infectious agents that are so small thay can only be seen by an electron microscope. Viruses are unable to reproduce without a host cell and are not considered living organisms.
A virus is a contagious infection, such as a cold, which can't be treated with antibiotics. Immunisations against certain life-threatening viruses, such as polio and measles, are recommended for babies in the UK.
A program that causes some harm to a computer. May be minimal or deadly. Anti-virus programs protect you from virus'
a microscopic particle that is made up of genetic material (either DNA or RNA) and protein that can replicate only inside living cells.
A computer virus can wipe out information on your computer and create major problems. They usually originate from people who want to cause harm. You can unintentionally download a virus from a website or get it from a disk that someone has lent you.
The specific agent of an infectious disease.
an infectious agent that is not considered to be truly "alive"; consists of a protein coat around genetic material; contributes to production of dissolved organic matter in the ocean
A group of particles that do not have a cellular structure and cannot replicate outside of a host cell. They consist of a molecule of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat. Viruses can only reproduce in living cells.
A program which you can introduce onto your computer by accident and which is designed to cause problems. Many viruses spread themselves using email.
an organism that can cause infectious or communicable diseases.
A file, usually circulated unknowingly through emails or websurfing, which causes errors on your computer.
A destructive program that is designed to reproduce itself and infect other programs.
a segment of computer code that will copy its code into one or more larger "host" programs when it is activated; it also may perform other unauthorized actions at that time
means a submicroscopic parasite consisting of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein coat, and sometimes also encased in a lipid and glycoprotein envelope. Viruses are completely dependent on a living host cell to survive and multiply, and therefore can not multiply in or on food.
The causative agent of an infectious disease.
A program deliberately written to cause problems to a computer system. There are many different types and unscrupulous people seem to be constantly producing new viruses. An ant-virus program can be used to protect your system, but it can only detect and clear viruses that were around when it was written. Anti-virus programs need to be upgraded on a very regular basis.
A type of Trojan Horse that can replicate itself and spread in a computer or network, much like a biological virus.
A programming script that has the ability to alter files on your computer, reproduce itself and infect other programs or disks.
Viruses, worms, and Trojan horses are malicious computer programs that make copies of themselves and spread to other computers. They can be transmitted through email attachments, links in email messages, or sometimes through web pages. Users can be protected from viruses, worms and Trojan horses by use of McAfee Antivirus. It is important to always install updates from McAfee as new viruses are constantly being written. The EPO will handle automatic virus definition updates when users are connected to the campus network. Technically, a virus "infects" another computer program in order to spread. A worm is a stand-alone program that spreads more or less automatically. A Trojan horse is a stand-alone program like a worm, but it tricks the user into installing or copying it by pretending to be something else.
Viruses are self-executing, self-replicating programs. They alter the way a computer operates without the knowledge or permission of the user. When activated, viruses may damage files, cause erratic system behavior, or display annoying messages. The ability to self-replicate differentiates viruses from Trojan horses, worms, and other virus-like programs. Much like a biologial virus passes from person to person, computer viruses pass from computer to computer. (Symantec Reference)
A computer virus is a small program written to alter the way a computer operates, without the permission or knowledge of the user. A virus must meet two criteria: It must execute itself. It will often place its own code in the path of execution of another program. It must replicate itself. For example, it may replace other executable files with a copy of the virus infected file. Viruses can infect desktop computers and network servers alike. Some viruses are programmed to damage the computer by damaging programs, deleting files, or reformatting the hard disk. Others are not designed to do any damage, but simply to replicate themselves and make their presence known by presenting text, video, and audio messages. Even these benign viruses can create problems for the computer user. They typically take up computer memory used by legitimate programs. As a result, they often cause erratic behavior and can result in system crashes. In addition, many viruses are bug-ridden, and these bugs may lead to system crashes and data loss.
A program that attaches itself to a host program, and is activated when that host program runs. A virus often contains code that damages other data on the computer.
A program designed to destroy data or halt operation on systems by copying itself into files & executing when those files are loaded.
A small infectious organism that thrives in the cells of the body.
A submicroscopic obligate parasite consisting of nucleic acid and protein.
A string of computer code, usually imbedded in a something.exe file, that infects specific programs on a computer (often system components) and replicates itself, usually spreading through email. Similar to a worm.
A computer program that replicates by attaching itself to another object.
Infectious agent (microbe) responsible for numerous diseases in all living beings. It is an extremely small particle and, in contrast with bacteria, can only survive and multiply within a living cell at the expense of that cell
Malicious code that replicates itself within a computer.
A program written to do harm to a computer system. Viruses target files, the registry, or hardware.
A virus is a piece of computer code that has the ability to be copied from one computer to another, not necessarily with the knowledge of the owner of the computer. A virus can do anything from display a harmless annoying message to deleting every file on your computer. You do back up your important files, regularly, right
A malicious program whose intention is to do damage to a computer or data. ..................................................
a file that you have downloaded onto your computer that can damage files and disrupt your system. Read our article on Computer Viruses which tell you when you can and cannot pick up a virus.
a computer program designed to make copies of itself and spread itself from one machine to another without the help of the user
Simple organisms which are neither animals nor plants, consisting of a nucleic acid (either DNA or RNA) and a protein coat (singular virus). Some viruses are entomopathogens.
A program which inserts itself into other files or programs and which, when executed, spreads to more programs and other computers. A virus can cause substantial damage by clogging networks or disk drives, deleting files, or opening security holes.
A program that self-replicates. Viruses may damage data, cause the computer to crash, display messages, degrade system performance, or lie dormant for an indefinite period of time before activating. It may attach to other programs, it may create copies of itself, It may attach itself to any executable code, including but not limited to boot sectors and/or partition sectors of hard and/or floppy disks.
A submicroscopic particle that can infect other organisms. It cannot reproduce on its own but infects an organism's cell in order to use that cell's reproductive machinery to create more viruses. It usually consists of a DNA or RNA genome enclosed in a protective protein coat.
A germ, much smaller than a bacterium, whose survival depends on cells in the host. A virus, such as HIV, often destroys the cells that it infects.
A program which can spread across computers and networks by attaching itself to another program and making copies of itself.
A parasitic genetic element enclosed in a protein coat that can replicate in cells, and form infectious particles, or remain dormant in the cells. Its genetic material can become integrated into the cell's genome to form provirus.
A piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge or permission. It can use all your computer's memory, wipe out your hard disk, attach itself to other programs, and even transmit itself to other computers.
Computer viruses are small programs or scripts that can negatively affect the health of your computer. These malicious little programs can create files, move files, erase files, consume your computer's memory, and cause your computer not to function correctly. Typically viruses spread by attaching themselves to programs or files and and some can duplicate themselves or travel across networks. It's a good idea to prevent a virus attack rather than try and cure it. There are many anti-virus programs available that scan incoming files for viruses before they can cause damage to your computer.
A self replicating code or program segment which may contain attacks.
Code that is embedded into a computer program. When the program is executed, the viral code wakes up. Once active, a virus can replicate itself, post messages, destroy data, or degrade system performance.
A program or code that can be put on your computer by someone without you knowing. A virus can make your computer break down or damage some of the files kept on it.
Executable code (computer program) that infects or attaches itself to other executable code (computer programs) to perform a malicious or mischievous act such as erasing/editing files or locking up systems.
program that can make a copy of itself without you necessarily being aware of it; some viruses can destroy or damage file s, and generally the best protection is to always maintain backup s of your file
A program written and distributed to cause harm to computers. Viruses copy themselves to diskettes or onto networks and spread.
a program written with malicious intent that is loaded into the computer system of an unsuspecting victim. It normally tries to destroy or interfere with the running of other programs or applications on the host computer and aims to spread through multiple computer systems. (p. 143)
A program that has been deliberately created to cause computer problems, usually minor ones as a prank, but occasionally very nasty ones indeed, such as erasing your entire hard disk. Viruses were originally designed to attach themselves to programs on a disk, and then "hide" in the computer's memory once the host program is executed, and "infect" every disk they come across. Some types of virus (such as the famous "I love you") propagate by email, disguised as an attachment, which is why you should never open an attachment you are unsure of.
A computer virus is a small computer program created by a computer-literate vandal with the purpose of destroying data or even applications programs in other people's computers.
A malevolent computer mini-program designed by the unscrupulous, to play tricks with your computer.
A virus is a small program that runs on your computer without your knowledge. They are able to reproduce themselves and can slow your computer down.
A computer program, or "bug" in a program, which can foul up a computer system.
Computer code written by unethical programmers to harm your PC or files.
An insidious piece of computer code written to damage systems. Viruses can be hidden in executable program files posted online.
A piece of programming code inserted into other programming to infect the program of the victim's computer. Viruses can be attached to program files, usually selected .com or .exe files, or found on a disk.
"A parasitic program written intentionally to enter a computer without the users permission or knowledge. The word parasite is used because a virus attaches to files or boot sectors and replicates itself, thus continuing to spread. Though some virus's do little but replicate others can cause serious damage or effect program and system performance. A virus should never be assumed harmless and left on a system." -Symantec
program or code that replicates itself onto other files and can affect many different things such as other program, files, documents etc, and cause various degrees of damage.
Any of various simple submicroscopic parasites of plants, animals, and bacteria that often cause disease and that consist essentially of a core of RNA or DNA surrounded by a protein coat. Unable to replicate without a host cell, viruses are typically not considered living organisms.
a very small micro-organism of simple structure, only capable of survival within a living host cell.
A type of malware, a virus is a self-replicating computer program which copies itself into other computer files in order to remain undetected and spread from computer to computer (as opposed to a worm). The range of actions that a virus may have once it has infected a computer can be large, and some risk is associated purely due to poor program or incompatibility with the OS of the infected computer.
An infectious agent of microscopic proportions, comprising little more than a single strain of replicating DNA, which multiplies only in living cells of animals, plants, or bacteria. Derived from the Latin, meaning 'slimy liquid' or 'poison.'
A chunk of malicious computer code that makes copies of itself without concious human intervention. Not all are dangerous, some simply will display a message but other can delete data and programs. In any event, they still are unwanted and waste resources. They can often spread through email attachments and downloads.
A digital infection of a computer or network. Viruses do not exist as independent programs but are elements of code concealed within host programs.
an application which modifies other applications to replicate its functions. Viruses often damage system operation
An unauthorized program that replicates itself and spreads onto various data storage media (diskettes, disks, magnetic tapes, etc.) and/or across a network for malicious intent. The symptoms of virus infection include considerably slower computer response time, inexplicable loss of files, changed modification dates for files, increased file sizes, and total failure of computers.
A particle that can only reproduce if inside the living cells of other organisms; a virus is not a cell. Most viruses are made up only of genetic material either DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) or RNA (ribonucleic acid) and a protein coating. This assembly of material is known as a nucleoprotein.
A computer program which is designed to replicate itself in the memory or storage devices of other computers. Viruses are spread through computer networks and through exchange of floppy disks. Virus programs may have destructive or practical joke components which can cause damage to materials stored on the infected computer. Virus checker and elimination programs are designed to detect and eradicate viruses.
A submicroscopic infectious agent consisting of a nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) molecule surrounded by a protein coat. Viruses cannot replicate outside a living cell. More information can be found at How viruses work (How Stuff Works, USA).
A hidden program capable of copying itself between disks and computers, and often able to spread itself by stowing away on emails. These programs can cause considerable damage by deleting files on machines they infect.
A virus is a malicious computer program which attacks your computer. There are many types of viruses with different effects
Virus is a program that infects a computer when it is run. It attaches itself to other programs or documents enabling it be executed when the host file is executed without the user being aware. Viruses can spread via email attachments or other files that are shared between users (Never open email attachments unless you are sure they are from someone you know and the sender actually did send it to you. Attachments to avoid not limited to with extensions .exe, .com, .bat, exe). Viruses can corrupt data while infecting files, display messages or lie dormant till a set date.
a program designed to infect and sometimes destroy other programs and computer equipment Back to the top
The smallest infective agent that is an obligate parasite (requires the genetic machinery of a host cell to complete its life cycle). Genetic material of a virus may be either DNA or RNA. Individual viral particles can be seen by the electron microscope but not the light microscope.
A program, usually malicious, that tries to get access to or control of a computer to create copies of itself and infect other computers. Viruses range from the mundane, such as the Klez worm, to the destructive, such as the Slammer virus that shut down the Internet. Viruses can be passed unknowingly through Internet traffic, e-mail or other media. It usually requires user help, while a worm does not.
a computer program that copies itself and often disrupts computer systems or damages the data contained upon them; requires a host program and will not infect a computer until it has been run
A malicious human created program that searches out other programs and infects them with a copy of itself, when infected programs are run the virus is activated. It may be on a computer system without the knowledge of the user.
A malicious program that copies itself without human intervention and spreads to other computers and across networks. Some viruses might display false messages, install other program, delete files, and perform other destructive tasks.
An infectious subcellular particle that requires a living host for its reproductive cycle.
A program that, when loaded, infects, alters or destroys other programs and/or data. Some virus programs cause major problems, while others are nothing more than an annoyance.
A self-replicating, self-executing program designed to change the way your computer operates, usually in very damaging ways. trimMail Inbox can disable both known and unknown viruses.
A computer program written to secretly reproduce itself across many computer systems. Viruses can cause serious damage.
Computer viruses are small programs that attach themselves to programs and documents, such as email. When the program is run, or the email read, the virus is activated. At this point the virus tries to replicate itself - for example by emailing a copy of itself to everyone in your email address book. Additionally viruses tend to have destructive capabilities, ranging from deleting files and folders to creating "back doors" - allowing someone else to control your computer.
A computer program that is made for the sole purpose of disrupting or disturbing the activities of computer users.
The smallest form of life, invisible with an ordinary microscope. An infectious unit that enters and uses cells of plants or animals for replication. Some viruses cause disease in animals or plants.
A virus is a small piece of executable code that is embedded in an executable program and requires the execution of that program to replicate. Some malicious viruses can be very destructive to computers or entire networks.
A program or piece of code that is loaded on your computer and "infects" one or more other programs, generally running against your wishes and without your knowledge. Damage varies. See Viruses and Worms.
A deliberately harmful computer program designed to create annoying glitches or destroy data
Malicious computer code that spreads from computer to computer, sometimes embedded in e-mail.
A virus is a computer program - but it's a program that is designed to damage your computer by destroying files or damaging your hard drive in some way. Sometimes viruses are attached to emails, but they can also be hidden on floppy disks and CD-ROMs, so it's a good idea to use an anti-virus program to scan your emails and any disks that you may insert into your computer.
A virus is a program that sneaks its way onto computers to either disrupt files on a computer, launch prank type messages or sounds, or reproduce itself so many times that the hard drive is filled to the maximum and the computer is disabled. Viruses are forms of warfare that have become the fear of many system administrators and computer owners, causing them to use Virus Detecting/Cleaning programs to remove them.
Self-replicating, malicious code that attaches itself to an application program or other executable system component and leaves no obvious signs of its presence.
A microorganism smaller than a bacteria, which cannot grow or reproduce apart from a living cell. A virus invades living cells and uses their chemical machinery to keep itself alive and to replicate itself. It may reproduce with fidelity or with errors (mutations)-this ability to mutate is responsible for the ability of some viruses to change slightly in each infected person, making treatment more difficult. See the entire definition of Virus
A software program designed to replicate and spread on its own and to affect your computer by altering the way it works without your knowledge or permission.
An intrusive program that infects computer files by inserting in those files copies of itself. The copies are usually executed when the file is loaded into memory, allowing them to infect still other files, and so on. Viruses often have damaging side effects--sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. For example, some viruses can destroy a computer's hard disk or take up memory space that could otherwise be used by programs.
A piece of software written with malicious intent (e.g. to delete a user's documents) and spread by infected computers.
One of the large class of minute structures that consist of a protein coat and a core of DNA and/or RNA and are capable of infecting plants and anials by reproducing within their cells.
malware program file, introduced to a computer by file transfer, that disturbs the operation of other software or files.
An insidious program which can surreptitiously occupy space on a compyuter and damage data.
A computer program, usually made to be spread from computer to computer, that is intended to either annoy the user, or cause harm to his or her computer. Viruses can simply place annoying messages on-screen, or re-format the users hard drive causing a 100% loss of all data on the hard disk.
Malicious programs code that stealthily invades systems and create undesirable effects and often have some means of reproduction. There are four major categories of viruses: Virus. An executable file: does undesirable stuff and replicates. Worm. Does not infect other files: primarily replicates itself. Trojan Horse. Disguised as an innocuous executable file: does undesirable stuff, and replicates. Macro. Attached to innocuous files as macro code. Many programs, including Microsoft Office, utilize macro languages to enhance their documents and apps. Does undesirable stuff and replicates.
A tiny infectious agent that is smaller than bacteria.
A program that can "infect" or "contaminate" other programs by modifying them to include a copy of itself. Viral code is typically malicious and detrimental to data or system integrity.
Rogue program which can transfer itself from one disk to another (without the owner of the receiving disk knowing about it). The virus program can then be triggered into action by certain commonplace commands or actions performed by the user. Some virus programs may simply flash messages or pictures on the screen, but others may corrupt program and data files. Web directories These are search tools where human editors organise Web sites under subject headings.
A computer program designed as a prank or as sabotage, that replicates itself by attaching to other programs and carrying out unwanted and sometime damaging operations. When embedded in its host, the virus replicates itself by attaching to other programs in the system, including system software. Like a human virus, the effects of a compute virus may not be detectable for a period of days or weeks, during which time every desk inserted into the system comes away with a hidden copy of the virus. Eventually, the effects manifest themselves. The consequences range from prank messages to erratic system software performance or catastrophic erasure of all the information on a hard disk.
Minute micro-organisms, some of which can reside and replicate in human and animal cells. Some viruses cause disease.
Malicious code that is transmitted from one computer to another, usually via the Internet. Computer viruses degrade or disrupt a computer's ability to work properly. Viruses are often sent as e-mail attachments. Exercise caution when opening attachments from individuals you do not know.
an infecting particle that cannot reproduce on its own; a virus must take over a living cell to make copies of themselves.
Small living particles that contain DNA or RNA which can infect cells and change how the cells function.
A program, generally malicious, that replicate and cause corruption and data loss on a computer. See anti-virus for information on protecting yourself from viruses.
An unauthorised programme that inserts itself into a computer system and then propagates itself to other computers via networks or disks. When activated, it interferes with the operation of the computer systems.
A program or piece of code that is maliciously designed to be loaded onto a computer without the user's knowledge. A virus often replicates and can attach itself to documents, email itself to a stored contact list, or transmit itself across networks and bypass security systems.
A virus is a program written to cause mischief or damage to a computer system. A mild virus might only be a slight nuisance, or even amusing. However, most viruses do damage, whether to your files, your registry, or even your hardware. Viruses are hard to detect, easy to propagate, and difficult to remove. Your computer can pick up a virus when you copy a seemingly normal file from a diskette or download it from the Internet.
A program that replicates itself across a network, or the Internet as a whole. The virus payload may be destructive, like deleting files, or it could simply try to overwhelm a network by copying itself.
A computer virus is a self-replicating program that explicitly copies itself and that can infect other programs by modifying them or their environment such that a call to an infected program implies a call to a possibly evolved copy of the virus.
A virus is a program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge or permission. Once loaded onto your computer, a virus is capable of reproducing itself by travelling from file to file and from computer to computer, often destroying files in the process.
A virus is a computer program which infects files or system parts and distributes itself. Often a virus carries a particular, malovelent payload along.
An infectious particle consisting essentially of a protein-coated or membrane enveloped DNA or RNA genome that codes for the constituents of the virus : Some viruses contain additional components, and their genomes additional genes : RNA viruses, in particular, have to provide the replicase or reverse transcriptase needed for their replication : Viruses enter certain prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells and multiply within these cells with the help of the local metabolism and enzyme machinery, often causing injuries or death of the infected cells. ~ See Also: Replicase, Retrovirus, Reverse transcriptase.
Tiny living organisms that invade cells, alter the cells' chemistry and cause them to reproduce more viruses. Viruses cause many diseases. In animals, several viruses have been shown to produce cancer. Their role in the development of cancer in humans is now being tested.
A micro-organism smaller than a bacteria, which can only grow and reproduce within living cells. Viruses cause many human infections, and are responsible for various diseases. Viruses can mutate, or change, in each infected person, which makes treatment more difficult.
A destructive program that can be transmitted to your computer via email, downloading from the web, or running a program. Investing in good anti-virus software will help keep your computer virus-free.
Also referred to as worms and Trojan Horses, these are small computer programs able to replicate themselves and attach their copies to other programs. Infected computers infect other computers through the Internet, and either display unusual behavior or crash. We recommend Norton Anti-Virus for protection.
A computer program that copies itself to other computers. Just like biological viruses, software viruses can be relatively benign or they can destroy data on your computer. They are carried in software programs and document files. Virus protection software is generally effective, but you should still keep current backup copies of all of your important files.
software that is covertly introduced on to a computer system with the intent of corrupting data or inhibiting the normal operation of the system or network.
A destructive program that has the ability to reproduce itself and infect other programs. Viruses frequently remain dormant while spreading themselves among many computers, until triggered into a destructive phase. Anti-virus software provides a good defense, but must be updated regularly.
A small program that "hides" on a victim's hard drive, usually written to invoke some kind of malicious act. Virus effects include the deletion of data, the erasing to hard drives, and the corruption of system files.
An infectious agent made of protein and genetic material. It is not made of a cell and must invade another cell to reproduce.
For sheer, mindless evil, there's little in the computer industry to compare with the computer virus. It's a program that can hide anywhere a computer stores information: a floppy disk, PC Card, hard disk, network, or various parts of memory. They can travel across any means of connecting computers, like modems and networks. And, depending on its developer's intent, it may do any number of things, such as display a brief message or picture from the virus author, or corrupt the activities of your operating system (making your system act as though it's gone crazy). There are even viruses that change the way they hide their presence from anti-virus (AV) software with every replication from computer to computer (these are referred to as "polymorphic viruses").[See Also: Trojan horse
A program, macro or fragment of code that causes damage and can be quickly spread through Web sites or email.
"A program . . . that is loaded onto your computer withour your knowledge and runs against your wishes." - Webopedia.
A virus is smaller than bacteria. Viruses can cause infections in humans. An infection that is caused by a virus, such as influenza, is known as a viral infection.
A tiny organism that multiples within cells and causes disease such as chickenpox, measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis and hepatitis. Viruses are not affected by antibiotics, the drugs used to kill bacteria.
A self-replicating code segment. Viruses may or may not contain attack. A polymorphic virus is a self-modifying encrypting virus.
Malicious program designed to damage data; usually spread via infected e-mail attachments.
A tiny living organism, viruses are smaller than bacteria. Examples of infections caused by virus include measles, rubella, mumps, polio, influenza (flu) and hepatitis B. W X Y Z
A genetic element, containing DNA or RNA, which invades biological cells and reproduces using the material of the cell. Viruses are not cells and cannot replicate by themselves. Viruses cannot be controlled by antimicrobials.
A piece of malicious code which may erase data, use up system resources and use a system to propagate copies of itself to other systems. Viruses are frequently loaded by accident or without the knowledge of the system owner. Users can protect themselves against viruses by installing anti-virus software.
A damaging program that replicates itself through incorporation into other programs. It can be passed over the Internet.
A hidden, self-replicating piece of computer software, usually malicious logic that propagates by infecting (for example, inserting a copy of itself into) another program. A virus cannot run by itself; it requires the operation of its host program.
Harmful computer program capable of replicating itself by infecting other programs and computers. A virus can interfere with operation of the computer, or can destroy the contents of computer files. Viruses can be transmitted via floppy disks or computer programs that are downloaded from the network.
A non-living fragment of genes that lacks motility and metabolism and depends on the DNA of host cells for replication. Bacteria, plants, and animals are hosts to viruses. Virus are very small, having a mass of about one five hundred millionth of a T cell.
A virus is a program or piece of programming code that ‘infectsâ€(tm) a computer without the user knowing, and can cause a wide range of problems. A constantly evolving threat, viruses are most often spread using e-mail.
cannot reproduce by itself and therefore it infect cells to use the cell machinery to produce more virus. Different viruses have genetic material as single- or double-stranded RNA or DNA. The infectious virus particle is called a "virion" and is the genetic material packed in a protein shell. Viruses come in many genetic sizes, as little as 4 proteins up to 200 proteins. Many cancers can be caused by viruses (papilloma viruses, hepatitis B and C viruses, Epstein-Barr virus and human T-cell lymphotropic virus). Virus-induced cancers account for about 20% of worldwide cancer incidence. (More? Viral Infection | Rubella)
A computer bug which replicates and spreads undetected through computer networks.
A dangerous computer program with the characteristic feature of being able to generate copies of itself, and thereby spreading. Additionally most computer viruses have a destructive payload that is activated under certain conditions. They are designed to be attached to some files such as MSWord document files, or some other executable file in an email attachment.
A microscopic particle that can only multiply inside the cells of living organisms; they are totally inactive outside of a living host cell.
A destructive program that has the ability to reproduce itself and infect other programs or disks. Typically a virus will not show itself immediately, but will add itself to programs and disks to spread itself widely on many computers before it is triggered into its destructive phase. The best defence is to run anti-virus software and use it on all new software and disks introduced to your system. Anti-virus software should be updated monthly. For authoritative current information on viruses, visit the US Dept of Energy's Computer Incident Advisory Committee (CIAC) web site There are many hoaxes about viruses making the rounds. If you see warnings about any of these, they are all hoaxes: TIME BOMB, JOIN THE CREW, UNABLE TO DELIVER, OCTOBER 1, WIN 95, PENPAL GREETINGS, DEEYENDA, AOL 4.0 COOKIE, or FREE MONEY. AOL4FREE is also not a virus, although there is a Trojan Horse program by that name
A virus is any of a group of microscopic agents that cause disease in humans, animals, or plants. Unlike bacterial infections, viral infections cannot be treated with antibiotics; vaccines or immunizations, such as those against polio, are helpful in fending off many viruses.
Is a program that reproduces itself and may cause system failures, performance degradation, hardware, software, or data damage or destruction
A computer virus is an insidious piece of software that infects other software and moves from computer to computer when software is transferred. A virus may compound itself once it's inside your computer, thereby destroying software programs and a great deal of data, or it may do other nasty things. Some viruses are benign. Modems can transmit viruses, but illegally copied or "bootleg" diskettes are the most likely carriers. Virus protection software is the best defense, and is available commercially or as freeware/ shareware.
A computer program designed to infiltrate and disrupt or disable the normal operation of a computer or program.
Code that attaches itself to a program and makes copies of itself. It may or may not cause accidental or malicious damage, but is a serious nuisance particularly in a networked environment and where dependence on IT is heavy. Anti-virus applications such as Norton are available, but security should be augmented by procedures and regular backups.
a piece of code that replicates by attaching itself to another object. It can attack the registry, replace system files, or take over email programs in its attempt to replicate itself.
A sub-microscopic infectious agent, composed of a protein `coat' containing DNA or RNA, that can `infect' living cells and reproduce inside them.
A program that can damage your computer's files. It is often created intentionally to do just that.
Submicroscopic, infectious agent, too small to be seen with a compound microscope, that multiplies only in living cells. A virus consists of nucleic acid surrounded by a protein coat. Water-soaked - Describing plants or lesions that appear wet and dark and are usually sunken and translucent.
Viruses are small programs designed to reproduce themselves on your PC and cause havoc. They insert themselves into other programs or on to disks and can destroy data or crash PCs. They can be picked up easily over the internet, which is why antivirus software is an essential purchase.
A program or computer code that affects or interferes with a computer's operating system and gets spread to other computers accidentally or on purpose through email messages, downloads, infected CDs or network messages. See worm.
Harmful, malicious software that is designed to damage computers.
Often malicious code written to self replicate, display messages, install other software or files, delete software of files, or other such tasks.
This is a program that can damage the file s on your PC - often created intentionally to do so.
A tiny object that is composed of RNA or DNA and is surrounded by a protein cap or capsid.
a submicroscopic organism that can replicate only when it is inside another cell.
a file maliciously planted in a computer that can damage files and disrupt the computer system.
A computer virus is a computer program that infects other computer programs and reproduces itself without the knowledge of the PC user. A virus may be destructive, and should never be ignored. Contrary to popular belief, not all viruses are dedicated to performing overt harm on computers that they inhabit. The vast majority of viruses would never perform such fabled destructive behaviour as reformatting the hard drive or spiking the water cooler. There are some nasty ones, though. A virus is a clear example of an area in which it is better to give than to receive.
Malware that can spread itself by infecting applications, operating-system files, or documents on your computer.
A virus is a program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. A virus might be attached to a document that is e-mailed or downloaded from the Internet. Most viruses can replicate themselves. All computer viruses are manmade.
A submicroscopic organism that contains genetic information but cannot reproduce itself. To replicate, it must invade another cell and use parts of that cell's reproductive machinery.
A virus is a self replicating program or code that may delete software programs or files or install other software. Viruses can be carried via email attachments or a downloaded file.
small little infectious programs on the internet that can hurt a computer and/or software in many devious ways.
A particle composed of nucleic acid surrounded by a protein coat. Viruses can only reproduce within a living cell.
An infectious particle composed of a protein capsule and a nucleic acid core, which is dependent on a host organism for replication. A double-stranded DNA copy of an RNA virus genome that is integrated into the host chromosome during lysogenic infection.
A virus is a nasty piece of work that can do serious damage to your hardware and software. Certain vindictive types have created thousands over the years. At their most basic, viruses are bits of code that bury themselves in files and hard drives. The result can be corrupted software or a completely destroyed hard drive. They are often spread by emails. The answer is to get good anti-virus software and keep it updated. You should use the software to check any email attachments, which are sometimes used as virus carriers. See our special offer on computer security software
A computer program, usually transmitted in an email attachment, intended to do some harm to your computer, or at least annoy you and make your life miserable for a few days. It might reformat your hard drive, scramble your files, or just send a nasty email to everyone in your address book. You don't want to experience viruses firsthand. Get good virus protection software.
Some people write software which can be transferred from one computer to the other and do things which can be harmless, annoying, or very damaging to your computer. Be very careful when getting email or attachments from people you don't know.
A piece of computer code designed to do malicious damage to an "infected" computer's software. First appearing in the mid-1980s, viruses are embedded in legitimate applications, then execute either at a specific time or whenever the application is run. Viruses can also be spread among computers when software is exchanged. Go to Top
The simplest type of microorganisms, lacking a system for their own metabolism. They depend on living cells to multiply and cannot live long outside of a host. Types of viruses are: smallpox, Ebola, Mar burg, and Lassa fever.
A virus is software that is designed to reproduce itself and cause havoc on your computer.
A computer program, usually harmful, that accesses your computer without your permission. A virus can destroy files or make your computer crash. Viruses can be sent in e-mail or file-sharing programs. To help protect against viruses, use antivirus software, and do not download information from people or sites you dont know.
A program that was designed to do something usually counterproductive and occasionally destructive, whether through ignorance or malice, to your work. Other similar terms include worm and trojan horse.
A small computer program designed to make copies of itself over and over. It attaches to other programs and reproduces when the other programs are run. You can get "infected" by a virus by downloading infected files or programs from a network, or by inserting an infected disk into your computer. Some are relatively harmless, others can crash whole computer systems.
the smallest known disease-causing microorganism; viruses are very simple in structure and can only multiply when they are inside the cell of another organism
A program that is designed to inconvenience you or to destroy data stored on your computer. A virus program moves from one computer to another via an infected disk, software downloaded from the Internet, or e-mail attachments. When an infected program is started, so is its embedded virus. A virus cannot be attached to data. It must be attached to a program that is downloaded into or installed on the computer. When the virus-attached program is run, the virus is activated. Macro viruses, although hidden within documents (data), are similar. It is in the execution of the macro that the damage is done. A common type of virus is a boot virus, which is stored in the boot sectors of a floppy disk. If the floppy is left in the drive when the computer is shut down and then turned on, the computer is infected when it reads the boot sectors of the floppy expecting to find the operating system. Once the computer is infected, the boot virus may replicate itself onto all of the floppy disks that are read or written in that computer until the virus is eradicated.[watt] The measurement of electrical power. One W is 1 ampere of current flowing at 1 volt.
A virus is a malicious program written to do as much harm as possible. Viruses can spread themselves over the network. Back to the top W3C World Wide Web Consortium. An international industry consortium that develops standards for the world wide web.
A program that damages or destroys computer software systems.
Any computer code which is designed to run on another computer system, without the knowledge of the user of that system. Viruses enter computers through emails or web downloads; 'worm' viruses replicate and send themselves to other users.
A malicious program or programming code that can cause damage to systems and potential corruption or destruction of information. These can be contracted through loading software, transmission of unchecked emails and downloading information from web sites.
A program which "infects" and replicates itself on computer systems by integrating itself into other programs that are shared among computer systems.
A destructive type of computer program that attempts to disrupt the normal operation of a computer, rewrite or delete information from storage devices, and in some cases, cause physical damage to the computer.
A program designed to be an inconvenience, either by replicating itself until a computer or network runs out of memory or by corrupting files stored on a hard-disk drive. The most common way that virus programs move from one computer to another is via "infected" diskettes and from software downloaded from the Internet. When an infected program is started, so is the embedded virus. Abbreviation for watt(s).
Microscopic particle that contains genetic information, but must invade a cell to reproduce.
Malicious software that spreads by attaching itself to files or creating files that may be executed in some way. Usually it is sent to users as an email attachment. It may require a computer software vulnerability to spread depending on the type of program it uses to spread. It runs on a system against the owner\'s or user\'s wishes and knowledge.
A computer program which intentionally does harm when it is used.
an infectious parasite.
Tiny particles, much smaller than cells, which usually consist only of a DNA genome and protein coat. They infect host cells and multiply rapidly once inside, causing disease. Many common diseases, such as the common cold, warts and 'flu are caused by viruses. Some, such as a few strains of human papillomavirus are linked to cancer.
A malicious code or program that can be carried by any attachment. Such an executable file, when opened, copies itself and uses up memory to damage software or hardware.
a piece of software that can replicate itself across computer networks, often carrying a destructive payload with it.
A computer program that is spread through files from computer to computer typically passed from one person to another, that may or may not cause damage to the receiving party's computer. Using anti-virus software is an important part of protecting your computer.
small little infectious programs on the internet that can hurt a computerand/or software in many devious ways..use protection. Mean people devise these.
a computer program designed to damage or destroy computer systems and the information contained within them
A software program that is written with the intent of doing harm to your computer.
A software program designed to destroy data on your computer or corrupt your system software. Some viruses are so destructive they can wipe out an entire disk. Viruses are so destructive they can wipe put an entire disk. Viruses are created illegally and can travel from computer to computer through disks, networks, and modems. Using virus detection software is a safe way to protect your system.
A computer program that makes copies of itself throughout your computer.Some viruses display messages, install other software or files, delete software of files and can stop the computer all together.
Program that attaches itself to other programs and alters the way your computer works
A self-replicating code segment. Viruses may or may not contain attack programs or trapdoors.
A program that is capable of replicating with little or no user intervention, and the replicated program(s) also replicate further.
A program designed by someone to play tricks on your computer. May delete lots of your files, send offensive material to everyone in your address book or mess up the settings on your machine. There are tens of thousands of them out there. You can buy anti-virus software to protect you against the known ones, but it must be updated regularly.
(1) A minute organism not visible by light microscopy. A virus is an obligate parasite dependent on nutrients inside cells for its metabolic and reproductive needs. It consists of a strand of either deoxyribonucleic acid or ribonucleic acid, but not both, [inside] a protein covering called a capsid.
A virus is any malicious program or piece of code that replicates itself and attaches to a hard disk boot sector or partition, or to an application, document, macro, or other software medium. Viruses run the gamut from annoying applets that display innocuous messages to lethal attacks that delete hard disk contents and upload confidential information to remote servers. Best defense: Antivirus software.
a computer program which copies itself into other programs so that when the user runs the infected program the virus gets another chance to spread.
An unwanted program that hides "behind" legitimate code, and which is activated when the legitimate program is activated.
Malicious computer code that may or may not cause damage. Viruses can automatically transfer from one infected machine to another often through email.
a computer program or piece of computer code that is usually disguised as or attached to another program and that causes some unexpected and often undesirable event on the infected computer system.
Software which is capable of reproducing itself by copying its code into other software. Viruses spread when infected software is downloaded from one computer to another, and may accidentally or deliberately damage or cause problems on the infected computer. Anti-virus software can be used to scan for and remove viruses.
A small program designed to propagate itself and cause havoc by spreading from one computer to another.
This is a program designed to propagate and also cause havoc on a computer.
A malicious piece of code that infects computers. It is most commonly transmitted by e-mail and its effects can range from mildly annoying to total devastation.
A computer program file capable of attaching to disks or other files and replicating itself repeatedly, typically without user knowledge or permission. Some viruses attach to files so when the infected file executes, the virus also executes. Other viruses sit in a computer's memory and infect files as the computer opens, modifies or creates the files. Some viruses display symptoms, and some viruses damage files and computer systems, but neither symptoms nor damage is essential in the definition of a virus; a non-damaging virus is still a virus. There are computer viruses written for several operating systems including DOS, Windows, Amiga, Macintosh, Atari, and UNIX, and others. McAfee.com presently detects more than 57,000 viruses, Trojans, and other malicious software. (Note: The preferred plural is the English form: viruses) See Also: Boot Sector Infector, File Viruses, Macro virus, Companion Virus, Worm
Not your typical health related virus. Unfortunately, this man-made virus is commonly produced by a seemingly demented propeller-head with way too much time on their hands. A software program passed undetected to a computer's hard drive, for the purpose of crashing, destroying, or creating general havoc on an unsuspecting person's computer system.
A small, infectious, obligate intracellular parasite. The virus genome is composed of either DNA or RNA. Within an appropriate host cell, the viral genome is replicated and uses cellular systems to direct the synthesis of other viral components. Progeny viruses are formed by de novo assembly from the newly synthesized components within the host cell. Transmission of the progeny viruses occurs by release from the host cell, and infection of new host cells.
A malicious program that makes it's way into your computer with purposes of data mining, replication, re-infection and of course spreading.
A computer program that can reproduce by changing other programs to include a copy of itself. It is a parasite program, needing another program to survive.
A group of submicroscopic infective agents capable of growth and multiplication only in living cells of a host. For example hepatitis and influenza virus, poliovirus, etc.
A harmful program made specifically to place itself in other computers without being noticed, in order to damage or spread data or programs. Viruses are often spread through e-mail or messenger programs, but you can also get a virus from visiting infected websites without having proper anti-virus software installed.
A destructive computer program that is transmitted from computer to computer over the Internet, or from a computer or other device to the Internet, often through e-mail attachments. Sometimes these programs damage files, or even destroy data and programs, when they are activated. You can protect your computer by installing virus protection software, never opening e-mail attachments or shared files that look suspicious even if they come from someone you know, and checking the Web at least once a week for updates for your virus protection software.
A program that can sneak onto your computer — often through an email attachment — and then make copies of itself, quickly using up all available memory.
a malicious piece of computer code which make unauthorised changes to a computer, distributed via the internet or email.
A harmful program that can spread to other programs on a computer system and to other systems connected on a network.
A small parasite consisting of nucleic acid (RNA or DNA) enclosed in a protein coat that can replicate only in a susceptible host cell; widely used in cell biology research. ( Table 6-3)
A computer program that disables other programs, contaminates or destroys data, or renders computer components inoperable.
Sort of like a worm, but not exactly
A program, created as a prank or as sabotage, that replicates itself by attaching to other programs and carrying out unwanted and sometimes damaging operations. Some computer viruses can attack your valuable data, important program files, and even the boot sector of the hard disk.
Any group of submicroscopic pathogens which multiply only in connection with living cells.
a piece of programming code usually disguised as something else that causes some unexpected and usually undesirable event. A virus is often designed so that it is automatically spread to other computer users. Viruses can be transmitted as attachments to an e-mail note, as downloads, or be present on a diskette or CD.
Invasive program embedded within another program, which does annoying or even damaging things to a computer's operation and/or your software programs.
A computer program designed to replicate itself by copying itself into other programs stored in a computer. It may be benign but usually has a negative impact, such as slowing or corrupting a computer's memory and files. Viruses are now mainly spread by emails and by file sharing services. New viruses are discovered on a daily basis.
Computer program that destroys data, unnecessarily ties up resources, or otherwise damages a system. Viruses are often able to replicate themselves and can therefore be passed from one computer or network to another via file transfers (analogous to how a biological virus is passed from one host to the next).
An infectious agent composed of proteins and genetic material (either DNA or RNA) that requires a host cell, such as a plant, animal, or bacterium, in which to reproduce. A virus is neither a cell nor a living organism because it can not reproduce independently.
A virus is a piece of programming code usually disguised as something else which can do serious damage to your hardware or software. It is usually designed to spread automatically to other users but can be prevented by a good anti-virus software package which is kept up to date.
A virus is a program that can enter a computer system in many ways. These programs are special in that they can produce unwanted or damaging effects on infected machines. Once a virus has managed to enter a system, it will situate itself in places where it can be unintentionally run by the user. A virus will not act until it has been run or until a certain pre-established condition has been met. In some cases, the effects produced by a virus, something known as the virus payload, will not be seen for some time after it has infected the computer. Among the actions that a virus can carry out the following can be highlighted: damaging the data stored in the hard disk, causing the computer to crash, displaying on-screen messages, etc.
A program designed to destroy or alter on a computer. Viruses can be transmitted via diskettes or the Internet. Anti-virus software is designed to detect and destroy such viruses before they can do any harm.
A type of infectious agent, much smaller than common microorganisms, several forms of which affect certain kinds of orchids.
A sub-microscopic life form that uses host cells - bacteria, plant cells, or even human body cells to reproduce itself. A virus normally consists of a small amount of genetic material (which it uses to reproduce itself) and a protective coat. Viruses are very small - most human viruses are less than 150 nanometers in diameter. (A nanometer is one billionth of a meter).
A hidden, self-replicating section of computer software, usually malicious logic, that propagates by infecting - i.e., inserting a copy of itself into and becoming part of - another program. A virus cannot run by itself; it requires that its host program be run to make the virus active.
A program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Viruses are usually hidden within another program or file and can be destructive or harmless. Viruses are spread from PC to PC by the infected host program over networks, by email or from disks.
A software program first written by Fred Cohen in 1983, and later coined in a 1984 research paper. A virus is a software program, script, or macro that has been designed to infect, destroy, modify, or cause other problems with a computer or software program. users can protect themselves by installing an anti-virus protection program.
A program that replicates by being copied to another program, computer boot sector or document. Viruses can be transmitted as attachments to an e-mail note or in a downloaded file, or be present on a diskette or CD. Frequently a virus requires a user to carry out some action to install it (Such as boot from an infected disk, open and infected word document)
A program which replicates itself on computer systems by incorporating itself into other programs that are shared among computer systems. Read about how to detect/remove a computer virus.
A virus is a program that can be downloaded onto your computer or network from the Internet. Some are harmless, while others are programmed to destroy your system, trash your files, and disable your software. No kidding. So be careful. Use antivirus programs. They take a few extra minutes everyday to use, but the protection is worth it.
malicious software written specifically to cause (sometimes permanent) harm to a computer system
a program that can attack a personal computer in a variety of usually destructive ways. Viruses are spread by opening infected disks or files. Purchase anti-virus software and run it regularly. Also, do not open e-mail messages from someone you don't recognize. If you aren't sure who someone is, send a message asking the sender to identify themselves.
A program that attaches itself to other programs and destroys most programs by replicating itself. This is done without your knowledge and consent. http://www.techweb.com/encyclepedia/defineterm?term=VIRUS&exact=1
These tiny agents of disease are not considered living organisms because they cannot reproduce by themselves. They must invade the cells of other living organisms in order to reproduce. Once within the organism, many viruses may reside dormant in the body and may be reactivated, often due to stress and/or trauma.
A computer virus is a tiny program intended to do something you won't like, up to and including making your computer utterly unusable. They're called viruses because they spread - they infect any unprotected computer with which they come into contact. You can pick up a virus from a floppy disk or CD, from a downloaded program, sometimes from a website and especially through email. If you don't have ant-virus software, or if you haven't updated it today, please read this article. ALPHABET
A virus is virtual evil. It can hide anywhere where a computer stores information. They have the ability to transfer from computer to computer with the use of the Internet and various other networks. A virus can do a number of things to a recipient such as reformatting hard drives (destroying data).
A virus is a program or file that you unknowingly install on your computer. There are several kinds of viruses. Some are created to damage your system and some are created for fun. For example, the virus can execute at a particular time and appear as a pop-up saying "Happy Birthday". Viruses replicate by attaching to macros in documents, boot sectors, a partition sector or file.
Any of a large group of infectious agents, lacking independent metabolism and requiring a living host in order to reproduce, consisting of DNA or RNA in a protein shell.
A program that destroys data or software by reproducing copies of itself or by producing meaningless text. Viruses can be transmitted by computer networks or by computer disks that are "infected" with such a program.
is any program written to damage computer systems. A virus may cause major damage to a computer system, such as erasing vital files, or the user may not even detect its presence. There are many different types and forms of viruses, and the use of anti-vi
A program which replicates itself on computer systems by incorporating itself into other programs which are shared among computer systems. See also: Trojan Horse, worm.
A large group of infectious agents, much smaller than bacteria, that are able to be viewed only through an electron microscope. They are not cells, but biologically active particles that vary in size from 0.01 to 0.1 microns.
A program that attempts to spread from computer to computer, often via e-mail, by attaching itself to a host program. It may damage hardware, software, or data.
Software which is usually found on the Internet. Designed to corrupt data, wipe hard drives and generally damage the computer. A firewall & virus checker will greatly reduce the risk of this software being loaded onto your machine by accident. A type of a computer virus is called a worm.
Executable code that, when run by someone, infects or attaches itself to other executable code in a computer in an effort to reproduce itself. Some computer viruses are malicious, erasing files or locking up systems; others merely present a problem solely through the act of infecting other code.
a group of infectious agents that are incapable of growth or reproduction outside of living cells
A hardware/software infection designed intentionally to corrupt a computer, computer files, and/or networks.
This is a harmful "illegal" computer code that can damage your computer system and makes it seem likes it's sick! It is silently spread from one computer to another through e-mail, downloaded files, and shared disks.
Computer code that can damage your files or disrupt your computer system. Special software can warn about viruses and sometimes fix the damage they cause. The first rule in avoiding viruses is to never open a program or file that you were not expecting to receive, even if you know and trust the person who sent it.
A malicious program that replicates itself and may cause damage to a computer system by attacking or attaching itself to boot information, another program or a document that uses macros.
(n.) A computer virus is a roguish snippet of software code that (1) rides around a network attached to "legitimate" software or document templates, and (2) can do at least two things. First, it can make copies of itself and so propagate to other machines and systems it encounters. Second, when it arrives at a target machine or system, it can make things happen there without the local operator's awareness or consent. Some viruses are merely impish, displaying, for example, cryptic phrases or dirty words on the target's monitor. But others are destructive, altering or obliterating critical data and even rendering the target system inoperative.
Software which attaches to other software. A boot virus inserts its code into the boot record or master boot record of a disk, so that when the machine boots from that disk, the virus code is executed. A file virus inserts its code into an executable file, so that when that file is executed, the virus is executed as well.
Your computer can get a virus just like your body can be invaded with a virus making you (or your computer) sick. A virus can wipe out information on your computer and create major havoc. Viruses usually originate from malicious people. You can unintentionally download virus from a web site or get it from a disk that someone has lent you. There are virus-checking programs, but there are new viruses popping up every day. So the best defense against a virus is to be very careful not to download programs or data from a site you're not familiar with.
An executable code that “infects” or attaches itself to other executable code in a computer in an effort to reproduce itself. The code must run for it to do damage to the system. Some computer viruses are malicious, erasing files or locking up systems; others merely present a problem through the act of infecting other code.
a group of tiny organisms that are unable to grow or reproduce outside of a host cell. During replication, a virus integrates its genetic material (DNA or RNA) into the host cell and takes over the cell’s biological mechanisms to reproduce new viral particles. Various families of viruses infect humans, animals, plants, and bacteria.
A computer virus is a man made program that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge. A virus is dangerous because it can quickly use all available memory on your computer and can bring your system to a halt. By installing virus software you can help ensure the safety of your information online.
A software program or script designed to destroy, modify, or cause other problems with a computer or software program. Viruses can arrive as e-mail attachments, with software installations or on discs. Installing and keeping current an anti-virus program can greatly reduce the risks to your computer. (see Worm)
A software program that attaches itself to another program in computer memory or on a disk, and spreads from one program to another. Viruses can cause damage to data, make the computer crash, display messages, or lie dormant.
Any software program that replicates itself and acts with malicious intent.
A malicious computer program designed to cause at best annoyance and at worst it can cause damage to the computer data.
One of the smallest infectious agents. Viruses cannot live outside a living host. Viruses reproduce themselves by infecting a cell and hiding their own DNA in the DNA of the cell. When the cell makes new proteins to survive it accidentally makes new viruses as well.
Computer viruses are malicious programs which attack your computer. A bad computer virus can delete files and make your computer run at snail pace. Opening an email with an infected attachment is the most common way to get a virus. Some viruses now even fake messages from your friends to try to trick you into catching them. Luckily, you can protect yourself by running an anti-virus program which stops viruses. Common anti-virus programs include Norton AntiVirus®, McAfee VirusScan®, and Virex®.
A microorganism composed of a piece of genetic material ( RNA or DNA ) surrounded by a protein coat. To replicate, a virus must infect a cell and direct its cellular machinery to produce new viruses.
A submicroscopic pathogen composed essentially of a core of DNA or RNA enclosed by a protein coat, able to replicate only within a living cell.
A program that searches out other programs and "infects" them by embedding a copy of itself in them. When these programs are executed, the embedded virus is executed too, thus propagating the "infection." A virus may write messages on the terminal, or play strange tricks with the display or cause irreversible damage such as deleting all of a user's files. Unlike a worm, a virus cannot infect other computers without assistance.
A hidden program that can be attached to email attachments, and other programs or disks by malicious people. A Virus once started can replicate itself, and may be either a harmless prank, or may damage files. Some viruses are difficult to erradicate. Risk is greater for PC than for Mac. Anti-Virus software protects against viruses on computers, but has to be updated frequently to keep up with new viruses. 90% of internet virus warnings are false. Check before you overreact or forward virus warnings.
A computer program whose sole purpose is to destroy data on the computers of unsuspecting users. Viruses are often disguised as seemingly innocuous programs or tempting email messages.
Self-replicating programs that infect and spread throughout a computer by replicating themselves. Viruses can be combated by antivirus software.
Code written with the express intention of replicating itself. A virus attempts to spread from computer to computer by attaching itself to a host program. It may damage hardware, software, or data.
Software which is usually found on the Internet and designed to corrupt data, wipe hard drives and generally create havoc. Firewall & virus checker will greatly reduce the risk of third party software being loaded onto your machine by accident.
An unwanted, disruptive, and sometimes destructive program that places itself into other programs which are shared among computer systems, and replicates itself. Some viruses are designed to automatically spread to other computer users and can be transmitted as e-mail attachments, downloads, or be present on a diskette or CD.
Within the context of information technology: a computer virus. A computer virus is a computer program written to infect (or install itself on) a host, possibly perform some action and, typically, replicate itself to other computers.
A program written with malicious intent that will stop processing, destroy data, or destroy hardware and reproduce itself for disk to disk.
Any program, script, applet, etc, designed to replicate itself. Usually used to describe code that is capable of executing destructive actions - file deletion, etc.
An executable file that replicates and attaches itself to other executable programs in an unsolicited manner. Most viruses are designed to damage data or other components within a computer system.
A strand of DNA surrounded by a protein shell. Viruses are the smallest known infectious organisms and are unable to live or multiply outside of a host cell. Viruses can cause infectious disease (e.g., small pox, polio, influenza, herpes). Infection with some viruses, such as CMV, may not produce symptoms in people with an intact immune system, but may prove dangerous or life-threatening for people with HIV/AIDS.
A program that attaches itself to another program or data file in order to spread and reproduce itself without the knowledge of the user. Page top
A computer virus is a malicious program or piece of code created to cause problems on computers. Viruses piggyback on top of programs, zip files and documents to infect vulnerable computers. For instance, a virus may be hidden inside a file attached to an email message. Opening the email attachment activates the virus, which may cause your computer to malfunction or delete valuable data. If you send the infected file to someone else, the virus may spread to that person's computer. You may have also heard of "Trojan horses" or "worms." These are simply different kinds of computer viruses. Antivirus software protects your computer from these malicious viruses.
A computer virus is a program written and then hidden in another program, "program x". When "program x" is executed (run) the virus program is unleashed and is able to do it’s damage. The damage can range from a "friendly" joke to a complete destruction of other programs and data.
the smallest known infectious agent; consists of either a DNA or RNA fragment protected by a protein shell (capsid); a virus cannot reproduce or act until it enters a living host cell. Viruses initially were defined by their ability to pass through a filter that stopped bacteria and other entities.
A small program which is usually designed to cause computer problems. Some type of virus can make your computer slow, damage data or cause a computer crash.
A virus is an independent program which reproduces itself. It may attach to other programs; it may create copies of itself (see companion viruses). It may attach itself to any executable code, including but not limited to boot sectors and/or partition sectors of hard and/or floppy disks. It may damage, corrupt or destroy data, or degrade system performance.
Infectious organism that reproduces in the cells of an infected host.
a program that is often destructive and can replicate itself and infect other computers. All computer viruses are created by humans. Some viruses can wipeout entire hard drives. All viruses should be treated as potentially dangerous, even viruses that do little damage can cost companies millions of dollars in lost productivity.
A program designed to harm your computer. Research, buy, and use a good Anti-virus software to protect your computer.
A malicious piece of software designed to make additional copies of itself and spread from location to location, usually without the users knowledge or permission. Risk of infection can be significantly reduced by installing and regularly updating anti-virus software on your local machine.
A piece of code or malware that attaches itself to a document, program or operating system and attempts to replicate itself by “infecting” documents, programs or operating systems it comes in contact with. You have to execute virus code before it can infect anything but various autorun macro facilities in modern software mean that merely opening a document may be enough to execute virus code. Viruses usually, but not always, have a “payload” which damages files on your computer. Viruses are often confused with Worms, which copy themselves onto your computer but don't replicate. Hoax viruses can cause almost as much trouble as the real thing, as can false alarms from less well-written anti-virus software packages. If you don't panic and get expert advice promptly, a virus infection shouldn't be a serious problem – but ill-informed attempts to deal with viruses can cause more trouble than the virus itself.
Viruses are computer programs which spread from computer to computer by exploiting weaknesses in their software or by persuading people to run them. A virus requires the presence of some other program to replicate itself. Typically viruses spread by attaching themselves to programs and in some cases files.
A computer virus is a malicious program code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. It is created specifically to invade computers and networks and wreak havoc on them. The mischief caused can be very minor, such as causing a funny image or cryptic message to be displayed on your screen, or it can do some serious damage by altering or even destroying files.
A virus is a malicious program that can damage the files on your computer, often created intentionally to cause such damage.
A virus is programming code which spreads from computer to computer causing damage to the computer and/or software. A virus spreads by duplicating and attaching itself to other files.
Software that copies itself onto hard drives and floppies without user intervention, usually when a floppy is placed into the drive of a computer. Viruses usually carry a payload (qv), triggered by some preset condition. Viruses are frequently written with antisocial intent.
The smallest (10-300 µm in diameter) life form capable of producing infection or diseases in man or other larger species. Complex macromolecules which are able to reproduce themselves only in living cells and are capable of producing infection and diseases.
A program that attaches itself to other files on a floppy or hard disk, duplicates itself without the user's knowledge, and may cause the computer to do strange and sometimes destructive things. The virus attacks the computer by erasing files from the hard disk or by formatting the disk.
A program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Most viruses can also replicate themselves and spread to other computers. All computer viruses are man made. Antivirus programs periodically check your computer system for the best-known types of viruses.
A computer program deliberately designed to cause damage to an infected computer system by replacing or corrupting data
A virus is a malicious program, designed to: alter, corrupt, or extract data on a machine. Viruses are spread primarily through e-mail attachments or floppy disks. Other methods do exist, however they are usually targeted at specific operating systems. Typical these types of viruses are corrected by getting an update to the operating system. Many software companies sell anti-virus software to eliminate and protect against viruses. See McAfee or Symantec for more information.
A malicious, self-replicating program malware designed to do damage to your files, your operating system, or even your hardware.It spreads by attaching itself to other, good programs, and thereby gets passed from computer to computer. Your computer can pick up a virus from an email attachment, CD or floppy disk or, unknowingly, download one from the Internet.
A program that cause damage either by deleting or corrupting files, or by interfering with computer operations by reproducing itself to fill up disk or RAM space. Originally the term applied only to the reproducing kind but it has come to mean any deliberately harmful software.
a piece of code that is covertly introduced into a computer system and begins to duplicate. The replication of these man-made viruses will eventually use up the entire computer's memory, causing it to shut down. More sophisticated viruses can be transmitted across networks, bypassing security systems.
A computer program or script that replicates itself. A virus could install some software, create or delete files. Computer viruses are spread via eMail and exploit vulnerable systems mostly Microsoft products.
Small intracellular parasite organisms that can cause disease.
A virus is a piece of computer code that that hides within other programs or documents so it can spread from computer to computer, infecting as it travels. Viruses can damage your software, your hardware, and your files. Viruses are often written with the intention of replicating themselves. Back to Jump
Any of a large group of organisms containing genetic material, but unable to reproduce outside a host cell.
Code inserted into a real program that affects a computer in an undesirable way. Viruses are commonly transferred via exe files. In order for the virus to run the file must be opened. Viruses can be received, but not executed, by deleting the file.
A program that is designed to inconvenience you or to destroy data stored on your computer. A virus program moves from one computer to another via an infected disk, software downloaded from the Internet, or e-mail attachments. When an infected program starts, its embedded virus also starts. A common type of virus is a boot virus, which is stored in the boot sectors of a floppy disk. If the floppy disk is left in the drive when the computer is shut down and then turned on, the computer is infected when it reads the boot sectors of the floppy disk expecting to find the operating system. If the computer is infected, the boot virus may replicate itself onto all of the floppy disks that are read or written in that computer until the virus is eradicated. volt — The measurement of electric potential or electromotive force. One V appears across a resistance of 1 ohm when a current of 1 ampere flows through that resistance. watt — The measurement of electrical power. One W is 1 ampere of current flowing at 1 volt.
A virus is a man-made program that is loaded onto your computer and runs without your permission. Viruses can bring your system to a halt, request your system to complete actions without your permission and can spread itself to files on your computer and to others with whom you share data. Due to the level of destruction that viruses can cause, anti-virus software is an absolute necessity when connecting to other computers and systems via networks and the Internet.
An organism that can cause infections in the human body.
Stands for Very Important Resource Under Siege (or...Vicious Internal Rabbit/Rodent Uprooting Stuff). Actually, it's a small program written specifically to cause problems in your computer. I caught a computer virus that disallowed me to save any of my text files as anything but temporary files. That meant each time I turned off the computer, the files were lost.
A computer code that damages computer data and/or programs.
A program that “infects†computer files by creating copies of itself on to the files. Many are designed to damage files and programs, all reduce system stability.
A program that often has an incubation period, is infectious and is intended to cause damage. A virus program might destroy data and programs or damage a disk drive's boot sector.
A self-starting program designed to inconvenience you. Virus programs have been known to corrupt the files stored on a hard drive or to replicate themselves until a system or network runs out of memory. The most common way that virus programs move from one system to another is via "infected" diskettes, from which they copy themselves to the hard drive. To guard against virus programs, you should do the following: Periodically run a virus-checking utility on your system's hard drive Always run a virus-checking utility on any diskettes (including commercially sold software) before using them
A program, hidden inside another program, which is designed to infect and sometimes damage other programs and files on your computer. You cannot catch a computer virus from a plain text email message, but treat all attachments to emails with caution, particularly if you were not expecting what was sent to you.
An ultramicroscopic, metabolically inert infectious agent that replicates only within the cells of living hosts, mainly bacteria, plants, and animals. In the early 1800s virus meant poison, venom, or contagion.
A program designed with malicious intent to damage files.
An unauthorised piece of computer code attached to a computer program or portions of a computer system that secretly copies itself from one computer to another by shared discs and over telephone and cable lines. It can destroy information stored on the computer and, in extreme cases, destroy operability. (See also anti-virus scanning)
A computer virus is defined as a set of commands, created intentionally, that will do some level of damage to a computer. A computer virus does not float around in cyberspace, but is always attached to something. That 'something' could be a text file (MSWord document), an email, a photo, a music clip or a video clip. Your computer must receive one of these 'carriers' in order to get a computer virus.
Describes a part of a computer program that automatically duplicates itself, usually resulting in the damage or destruction of software and/or data. A virus can make a computer "crash".
A small infectious agent consisting of a core of genetic material (DNA or RNA) surrounded by a shell of protein. A virus needs a living cell to reproduce.
A type of infectious agent, much smaller than common micro organisms, several forms of which can infect orchids.
Hidden program whose scope is to damage the programs on which they graft. Viruses generally are copied when loading a program in storage. They multiply themselves and damage other files. Secondary effects can be disastrous.
file or program used to harm or destroy a computer system.
malicous programs that usually come into your computer hidden inside an email attachment
Like human viruses, the computer varieties contain harmful code and spread easily to infect multiple hosts. Viruses are notorious for corrupting hardware, software, and personal files. Viruses cannot spread on their own, requiring users to share infected files through e-mail attachments, flash drives, disks, P2P, Web sites, or any other file-transferring mechanisms.
A Virus is a piece of malware which acts maliciously on your computer doing things which deliberately damages or destroy your programs, data and hardware. See here if you believe you may have a virus on your computer. See also Malware.
A computer program, usually malicious in nature which is used to disrupt the normal operation of a computer. Some problems viruses cause vary from annoying messages to destruction of information. You can buy commercially available software to detect and destroy these unwanted menaces.
A program that uses various techniques for duplicating itself and traveling between computers. Viruses vary from harmless nuisances to serious problems that can cause millions of dollars' worth of damage.
A self-replicating program that has been specifically designed to attach itself to, or infect, other programs on a host computer system. When one of these infected programs is run, the virus is surreptitiously activated, enabling it to infect other programs in turn. Viruses generally either cause annoyance or physically damage the infected PC.
a malicious piece of software that replicates itself, and may be transmitted via email, that could damage computer files and systems.
A program that performs some undesired action on your computer and generally propagates itself to other computers.
A computer virus is a block of executable code that would replicate itself by attaching to other files or replacing another program.
A tiny, disease-causing particle that can reproduce only in living cells.
A virus is a piece of software designed and written to make additional copies of itself and spread from location to location, typically without user knowledge or permission. Such stealth qualities are now found in both viruses infecting files and those infecting boot areas. There are computer viruses that were written for several operating systems like DOS, Windows, Amiga, Mac, Atari, and UNIX. Macro viruses are a new class of viruses that do not infect boot areas or files with the .EXE or .COM extensions. Instead, they infect documents; when Word loads the document, it executes any "autoexecute" macro in the file. (see Macro Virus) Some viruses cause damage, but not all do. More than 20,000 have been identified, and 250 new ones are created every month, according to the International Computer Security Association. With numbers like those, it’s safe to say that most organizations will deal regularly with virus outbreaks. No one who uses computers is immune from viruses.You will find more information in the Virus FAQ.
Software code—usually disguised as something innocent—that replicates itself in PCs. Some viruses need help to reproduce, some replicate all by themselves, but all reproduce without your permission or knowledge. Viruses often have an infection phase where they reproduce and an attack phase where they do damage. The ability to infect varies from virus to virus, as does the damage they can cause. Viruses are roughly categorized into subgroups such as common file-infecting viruses, worms, Trojan horses, macro viruses, and others.
Malicious piece of code that can be hidden in programs and destroy data on a computer.
A very small agent (germ) that causes infection.
A program designed to cause mischief or destroy data. The program causes problems by replicating itself or destroying critical parts of the computer's operating system or vital software.
A program which replicates itself on computer systems by embedding itself into other programs which are shared among computer systems. Viruses cause applications and operating systems to malfunction.
These are programs that can be downloaded onto your computer or network from the internet. Some are harmless, others are programmed to destroy your system, trash your files and disable your software. No kidding. So be careful. Use anti-virus programs. They take a few extra minutes every day to use, but the protection is worth it.
A cracker program that searches out other programs and infects them by embedding a copy of itself in them. When these programs are executed, the embedded virus is executed too, thus allowing the virus to propagate itself. While a virus can be benign, in the sense that all it does is waste system resources by propagating itself, viruses usually carry a payload and transform infected files into Trojan horses. This normally happens invisibly to the user. Unlike a worm, a virus cannot infect other computers without assistance.
A piece of computer programming code that can unwittingly be loaded onto and run on a computer. Viruses can replicate themselves, display messages, install other software or files, delete software files, etc. All viruses are man-made. Even a simple virus can be dangerous because it may quickly use all available computer memory and bring the system to a halt. An even more dangerous type of virus is one capable of transmitting itself across networks and bypassing security systems.
Program that duplicates itself and causes destructive actions to your computer software or data.
A malicious line of code or computer program that spreads to other machines by attaching itself to shared programs.
A program that is unauthorised by the network administrator, which can spread covertly from computer to computer and which can cause annoyance or damage, steal or destroy data, programs and operating systems.
A program which replicates itself on computer systems by incorporating itself into other programs that are shared among computer systems. Viruses vary, and can be harmless or completely debilitating to a computer system.
A malicious line of code that can corrupt or destroy files.
A microorganism that can infect the body. Many types of viruses exist such as those causing influenza, and hepatitis.
A chunk of computer programming code that makes copies of itself without any conscious human intervention. Some viruses do more than simply replicate themselves, they might display messages, install other software or files, delete software of files, etc.
A program who's purpose is spread undetected from computer to computer in order to achieve some task. Most times this task is malicious.
program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Most viruses can also replicate themselves. All computer viruses are manmade. A simple virus that can make a copy of itself over and over again is relatively easy to produce. Even such a simple virus is dangerous because it will quickly use all available memory and bring the system to a halt. An even more dangerous type of virus is one capable of transmitting itself across networks and bypassing security systems.
A virus is a software program that can self-replicate. A computer virus is analogous to a biological virus, each becoming active when they attach themselves to a host.
a group of submicroscopic infective agents that are considered nonliving complex molecules.
A program that attaches itself to other programs, thereby "infecting" them and running when they run. Some viruses are merely distracting, while others cause damage to the user's machine, deleting files or causing the system to crash.
a program that can "infect" other programs by modifying them to include a possibly evolved copy of itself. Note that a program need not perform malicious actions to be a virus; it need only "infect" other programs. Many viruses that have been encountered, however, do perform malicious actions.
A program that destroys or alters files. Viruses spread from computer to computer via contaminated disks or applications.
Organism composed mainly of nucleic acid within a protein coat. When viruses enter a living plant, animal, or bacterial cell, they make use of the host cell's chemical energy, protein, and nucleic acid-synthesizing ability to multiply. Some viruses do not kill cells but transform them into a cancerous state. Some cause illness and then seem to disappear, while remaining dormant and later causing another, sometimes much more severe, form of disease. In humans, viruses cause measles, mumps, yellow fever, poliomyelitis, influenza, and the common cold, among others. Some viral infections can be treated with drugs.
Same as Computer Virus.
A software program that uses various techniques for duplicating itself and traveling between computers. Viruses vary from simple nuisances to serious problems for networked computers.
A destructive program that has the ability to reproduce itself and infect other programs or disks on your computer. If infected by an virus unwanted events will occur, for example, re-formatting of the hard drive, data corruption and/or complete loss of data, and a system that becomes no longer re-bootable.
A virus is a malicious program whose sole intent is to cause problems on a computer. There are Anti-Virus programs, such as McAfee and Norton Utilities, created to combat viruses.
Infectious agent composed of a protein coat and a single type of nucleic acid. Lacks an independent metabolism and reproduces only within a host cell.
Boot; File; Macro; Network; A program that infects a computer by attaching itself to another program and propagating itself when that program is executed. A computer can become infected by files downloaded over a network or by the installation of new software or floppy disks that are infected with viruses. Some viruses are only pranks, and perform harmless actions like displaying a screen with a joke message on it. Others can destroy files or wipe out a hard drive.
A program that is loaded onto your computer unbeknownst to you. Viruses can make copies of themselves, quickly using up all available memory. Some viruses can transmit themselves across networks.
An infectious particle that can cause a disease in the body, such as the common cold virus.
(2005-01-11) Chris Limb A computer virus is a program that is intended to be installed onto a computer without the owners knowledge and runs secretly, often damaging files and information. Most viruses can reproduce and spread to other computers, often via email. [ further information about virus
a malevolent computer program ranging from the merely annoying to the terribly destructive. see Disinfectant, Symantec Anti-Virus, McAfee.
A computer program that covertly enters a system by means of a legitimate program, usually doing damage to the system; compare to worm.
A piece of programming code inserted into other programming to cause some unexpected and usually undesirable event, such as lost or damaged files. Viruses can be transmitted by downloading programming from other sites or be present on a diskette. The source of the file you're downloading or of a diskette you've received is often unaware of the virus. The virus lies dormant until circumstances cause its code to be executed by the computer.
A software program intentionally written to disrupt your work.
A program that is designed to search out and ?infect' a particular executable by inserting a copy of itself that will be executed when its target is executed, so turning its target into a trojan horse.
A code fragment (not an independent program) that reproduces by attaching to another program. It may damage data directly, or it may degrade system performance by taking over system resources which are then not available to authorized users.
A program that infects and replicates itself in computer files, spreading from computer to computer. Some viruses can be relatively harmless, simply displaying a message on your screen. Other viruses can be extremely damaging, crashing your hard drive so you lose all your data.
A program that is able to replicate and embed itself within another program to damage the function of software.
A virus is computer code, that is hidden within a program, and copies itself to other programs. They are created by programmers who either want to see what they can achieve or who have a malicious intent. Usually the virus manifests itself at some stage, often triggered on a pre-specified date. Some manifest themselves simply by displaying a message on the screen, others corrupt the contents of the machine on which they are running.
A program or executable code that must be part of another executing program. Usually viruses change the configuration or cause havoc with a computer system. The viruses are hidden within some useful or standard program.
An often destructive computer program which "infects" a computer system and has the capability of replicating itself through diskettes and files downloaded from the Internet Roland was wary of allowing a virus into his computer so he never downloaded programs from the Internet unless he was certain it was from a very reliable source.
a computer program that attaches itself to other programs and causes harm to computer software, data, and/or hardware, often undetected until it is too late.
A program intended to alter data on a computer in an invisible fashion, usually for mischievous or destructive purposes. Viruses are often transferred across the Internet as well as by infected diskettes and can affect almost every type of computer. Special antivirus programs are used to detect and eliminate them.
A noncellular biological entity that can reproduce only within a host cell.
A self-replicating program that is hidden in another piece of computer code, such as an email.
An intentionally bad program that interferes with the operation of a computer. These programs are typically designed to disrupt and or disable your computer.
software programme used to infect a computer. After the virus code is written, it is buried within an existing programme. Once that programme is executed, the virus code is activated and attaches copies of itself to programmes in the system.
A malicious program spread over the internet usually by email, but you could also get a virus off a floppy disk or CD.
As the name suggests, this is like a disease which computers catch from other computers that they come in contain with. An example is the recent "I love you" virus which was passed to computers by email.
A cracker program that searches out other programs and "infects" them by embedding a copy of itself in them. When these programs are executed, the embedded virus is executed too, thus propagating the "infection". This normally happens invisibly to the user. Unlike a worm, a virus cannot infect other computers without assistance. The virus may do nothing but propagate itself and then allow the program to run normally. Usually, however, after propagating silently for a while, it starts doing things like writing "cute" messages on the terminal or playing strange tricks with the display (some viruses include display hacks). Many nasty viruses, written by particularly antisocial crackers, do irreversible damage, like deleting all the user's files.
Software created by individuals to destroy computer function. Anti-virus software is used to stop virus attacks on computers. Some anti-virus software you pay for; others you can get for free.
Disease causing microscopic organism composed of nucleic acid surrounded by a protein coat, dependent on the metabolic and reproductive processes of the cell they invade
A parasitic infectious microbe, composed almost entirely of protein and nucleic acids, which can cause disease(s) in humans.
A program that transfers from computer to computer with the use of the internet, email and various other networks. A virus can do a number of harmful things to a recipient such as reformatting hard drives (destroying data).
A program which secretly alters other programs to include a copy of itself, and executes when the host program is executed. The execution of a virus program compromises a computer system by performing unwanted or unintended functions which may be destructive. See: bomb, trojan horse, worm.
Any of a large group of submicroscopic infective agents that are regarded either as the simplest microorganisms or as extremely complex molecules, that typically contain a protein coast surrounding an RNA or DNA core of genetic material, that are capable of growth and multiplication only in living cells, and that cause various important diseases in man, lower animals, or plants.
Viruses are programs that can enter computers or IT systems in a number of ways, causing effects that range from simply annoying to highly-destructive and irreparable.
A malicious computer program, created by online vandals, which can damage your computer by removing or changing information stored on it. All computers connected to the Internet should have anti-virus software installed on them and kept up to date.
An organism with RNA and DNA (genetic material) that can cause infections in human bodies.
These are sinister computer programs that can destroy your system if anti-virus programs are not being utilized.
A self-replicating computer program that incorporates itself with other software on a computer system. Many viruses are designed to cause harm to the computer operating system or to system and data files stored on computer disks. A virus can be spread from disk to disk or over a network. It is highly unlikely, however, for virus programs to be spread through ordinary Net and Web activity like email or server file transfers. All computer users should use, and frequently update, virus scanning and removal software.
A rogue computer software program created to 'infect' other computer softwares with copies of itself. Viruses may clone themselves and multiply constantly seeking new hosts. Some viruses are benign serving more as an annoyance, while others are designed to damage programs and data.
A harmful computer program that may cause damage to data or programs; usually imported via email.
A group of infectious agents characterized by their inability to reproduce outside of a living host cell. Viruses may subvert the host cells' normal functions, causing the cell to behave in a manner determined by the virus.
mischievous or destructive software transferred covertly to files and applications, often via the Internet (e.g. email attachments) or with other files on a disc. Some can disable a computer or network once activated and must, be removed using anti-virus software. There are, however, many hoax virus warnings and users should not pass on such warnings unless they are sure of their reliability.
Microorganism that can cause an infection in humans.
The smallest known type of organism. A non cellular entity that consists minimally of protein and nucleic acid, and that can replicate only after entry into specific types of living cells, and then only by usurping the cell's own systems.
A program that is very damaging to your computer should it infect your system. Running a virus-protection program is very beneficial in stopping the threat of computer meltdown.
A small program, commonly imbedded in another program, that infects programs and causes them to malfunction. It is often designed to destroy data and infect other programs, drives and disks.
Potentially damaging computer program that affects, or infects, a computer negatively by altering the way the computer works without a user's knowledge or permission, copying itself into other programs and spreading through multiple computers. 3.3- 4, 8.61, 12.2- 7, 12.31 detection and removal, 12.5-7 types of, 12.4
A program that attempts to spread from computer to computer and either cause damage (by erasing or corrupting data) or annoy users (by printing messages or altering what is displayed on the screen).
Software that infects other software and causes damage to the system on which the infected software is run. You should download software only from reputable servers.
A self-replicating program released into a computer system for mischievous reasons. Once triggered by some preprogrammed event (often time or date related), the results vary from humorous or annoying messages, to the destruction of data or whole operating systems.
A program which replicates itself on computer systems by incorporating itself (secretly and maliciously) into other programs. A virus can be transferred onto a computer system in a variety of ways.
A microscopic infectious organism that reproduces inside living cells.
A virus is a program that spreads by creating copies of itself, often using or embedding in other programs. Additionally, they usually inflict some kind of damage on computers. At worst, viruses destroy information and ruin computer configurations. At best, they clog computers with needless junk and use up bandwidth wastefully.
Infectious units comprising either RNA or DNA enclosed in a protective coat. ()
A computer program usually hidden within another program that produces copies of itself and inserts them into other programs to perform a malicious action (such as destroying data). For more information visit our Antivirus section.
Any of various submicroscopic pathogens consisting essentially of a particle of nucleic acid enclosed in protein and able to replicate only within a living cell.
A self-replicating programme that spreads by inserting copies of itself into other executable code or documents.
A self-replicating program intentionally written to alter the way your computer operates without your permission or knowledge. A virus attaches copies of itself to other files, and when activated, may damage files, cause erratic system behavior, or merely display annoying messages. Self-replication differentiates viruses from other virus-like computer infections such as Trojan horse programs and worms.
An infectious microorganism that exists as a particle rather than as a complete cell. Particle sizes range from 200 to 400 nanometers (one-billionth of a meter). Viruses are not capable of reproducing outside of a host cell; a minute infectious agent, which lacks independent metabolism and is only able to replicate within a living host cell.
A computer program specifically designed to harm a computer or upset/ annoy its user. These programs can travel inside other programs or documents and often try to spread themselves as widely as possible. Contrary to popular belief, just opening an email cannot start viruses, unless your mail program can read HTML. Most viruses spread through the programs and documents that are attached to mail. The virus starts when the program is run or opened). Normally it is an attachment on the email. If in doubt delete it out.
A self-replicating program that attaches to a computer system, spreading to other systems via a network and when activated, often at a later date, can corrupt or destroy data stored on the hard disk.
The agent of an infectious disease, smaller than bacteria, that must have a living host in order to grow or reproduce.
Simple life forms that require a host cell in order to reproduce. Consists of a small number of genes (DNA or RNA) encased in a coat of protein. Viral genes enter a host cell and are replicated by the host cell. The newly formed viral particles are then released to infect other cells. In some cases, the viral DNA becomes an integral part of the host cell chromosome. Viruses are commonly used as cloning vectors.
a program that multiplies itself by latching onto other program that are shared between computers. Created by people who have nothing better to do than cause trouble. Viruses can spread all over th eworld in seconds on the internet. Remember the "I Love U" bug? Anti-virus software will protect you provided it's updated the moment new viruses appear.
Virus refers to harmful software that can replicate within the computer system, potentially attaching itself to every software application.
A computer virus is similar to a physical one, it infects the host (your computer or network) and then does its best to spread to other hosts. Whilst some viruses are harmless (their creators just want to see how well they work), many are malicious and cause damage to systems by modifying or deleting data. The two main sources of viruses are email attachments and files downloaded from websites. Despite popular belief simply reading your email is not sufficient to infect your system, you must execute the attached file for it to plant the virus. Your best defense against viruses is to delete email attachments from people you don't know, and to avoid downloading any files where the author or source cannot be authenticated.
An malicious implant put into software that can cause failures of systems such as data or memory loss.
Any of a vast group of minute structures composed of a protein coat and a core of DNA and/or RNA that reproduces in the cells of the infected host. Capable of infecting all animals and plants, causing devastating disease in immunocompromised individuals. Viruses are not affected by antibiotics, and are completely dependent upon the cells of the infected host for the ability to reproduce.
An organism invisible to the microscope consisting of a strand of DNA and a protein coat. Reliant on invading other organisms to reproduce itself. Viruses cause many different diseases in man. Can be transmitted by piercing if unsterile equipment is used. See also Aerosol spread.
Related Terms:
Germs, Germ, Rickettsia, Pathogens, Infectious agent, Pathogen, Host range, Mycoplasma, Vectors, Asepsis, Phage, Inoculum, Microbe, Micro-organisms, Bacteria, Reservoir, Fomite, Reservoir host, Virus , Microbes, Hyperparasite, Bacteriophage, Microorganism, Intermediate host, Microbial, Obligate parasite, Microbiology, Microorganisms, Sterile, Micro-organism, Aseptic, Germicidal, Biological weapon, Protozoan, Bacterium, Inoculum, Viruses, Roundworm, Host, Ectoparasite, Parasitic, Helminth, Endoparasite, Biological agent, Facultative parasite, Parasites, Filaria, Sterilant, Microbiologist, Oocyst
A small organism that is often pathogenic.
A noncellular pathogen.
The smallest disease-causing pathogen.
The smallest and simplest pathogen.
The smallest known living organism.
pathogen passed to African Violets by poor cultural practices or by insects such as Aphids, Mealy Bugs and Scale. The most common viruses to attack African Violets are mosaic and stunt. All are untreatable. More information.
A living agent, the smallest and simplest form of life, which depends on other living cells in order to reproduce itself. Discovered in 1898.
smallest, most primitive known form of life on earth.
The smallest microbes that range in size from 0.01 to 0.3 microns.| | | | | | | | | | J | K | | | | | | | | | | | X | Y | Z
A pathogen capable of causing disease.
A tiny intelligent unit, mutating through 'selection'. Its original intelligence is extremely basic, but can in composed lifeforms take very complex shapes. - Humans might be seen as: complex walking virus structure. Such structures need 'change' to adapt to entering basic viruses. - Basic viruses structures (like AIDS) are never 'hostile' to other virus structures, only AT START very seldom cause unwanted effects that ask for adaption of both sides. Killing any virus structure with 'medicines' is simular to destroying life with DDT.
Virus is a sci-fi/horror film released in 1999 about an alien lifeform which primarily inhabits electronic devices. The lifeform invades Mir (the Russian space station) and is transmitted to a Russian research ship, and sets out to exterminate the crew of a tugboat who find the derelict ship. To do this, the alien creates cyborgs by fusing the corpses of its victims with various electronic parts.
Virus is a Russian band composed of two men and one woman. It was popular in 2001. The project was producing techno-based, Russian pop music, similar to Ruki Vverh at the time.
Virus is a KMFDM single preceding the album Naïve. It features the title track "Virus" as well as "More & Faster" off of More & Faster, "Don't Blow Your Top" off of Don't Blow Your Top and "High & Geil", an alternate version of "More & Faster".
Virus is an album that was released on September 19, 2005 by Hypocrisy. This is the first album Hypocrisy recorded with their new drummer, Horgh, from the black metal band Immortal.
"Virus" is a single from Iron Maiden, released in 1996. It is the first single since 1980's Women in Uniform for a song that does not appear on any official Iron Maiden studio album. It was, however, featured as a brand new track on the band's first ever career retrospective — 1996's double-disc The Best of the Beast.
Virus is the fourth full-length album by the French power metal band Heavenly. The advanced Japanese release occurred on September 21, 2006 by Avalon.
Virus is a Dark Horse Comics comic book, written by Chuck Pfarrer, drawn by Canadian artist Howard Cobb and published in 1995. The story is about an alien life form which takes over a Chinese research vessel and reconfigures it -- using both the damaged electronics and the dead bodies of the crew, it propagates itself by making various "creatures" created out of both organic and inorganic parts. When a salvage ship shows up they have to deal with the life form or be taken over as well.
Kinji Fukasaku and starring George Kennedy, Robert Vaughn, Chuck Connors, Olivia Hussey, Edward James Olmos, Ken Ogata, Sonny Chiba and Glenn Ford. The film is notable for being the most expensive Japanese film ever made at the time.
Programme that can cause serious problems in the systems that they attack.
Virus - Ein Programm, das sich selbst mit oder ohne Zutun des Anwenders vervielfältigen kann, wobei die neuen Ableger sich ihrerseits weiter vermehren.
Related Terms:
Pathogen, Pathogens, Infectious agent, Pathogenic, Infectious disease, Virulence, Mycoplasma, Infection, Opportunistic pathogen, Bacterial infection, Infectious diseases, Pseudomonas, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Secondary infection, Cryptosporidiosis, Cryptosporidium, Pathogenicity, Infectious, Communicable disease, Viral infection, Hepatitis e, Germ theory, Mycosis, Malaria, Schistosomiasis, Anthrax, Calicivirus, Vectors, Germ, Plasmodium, Etiologic agent, Coronavirus, Leptospirosis, Rickettsia, Trichinosis, Salmonella, Leishmaniasis, Reservoir host, Reservoir, Germs, Staphylococci, Brucellosis, Microsporidiosis, Hepatitis a, Septic, Viral hepatitis, Fungal infection, Hepatitis d, Contagious disease, Shigella
A plant disease that cannot be eliminated by a chemical means. Some viruses have created stripped tulips. Most are feared by growers.
A class of disease-causing particles that are resistant to antibiotics and antifungals. Influenza ("the flu") and the common cold are caused by viruses.
a tiny, non-cellular, disease-causing molecule
kita whakamate A disease-producing, microscopic particle that can easily make copies of itself.
A small, very simple organism, with the ability to cause disease
a kind of organism that causes disease
A living organism capable of causing disease.
(n) An ultra-microscopic and filterable agent, many diseases of plants and animals are due to it, it may be a living organism or a complex communicable molecule
Virus is a Norwegian avant-garde metal band. It was formed in 2000 by Carl-Michael Eide. The band is considered as a continuation of his previous band Ved Buens Ende because of similar musical elements and an avant garde form of unusual experimentation, although the band has its own characteristic sound.
Virus is an Argentine New wave group, leaded by Federico Moura until his death on 1988. His brother Marcelo then took the leading voice role. The group gave its final performance on September 29, 1989.
The format of Megabye, Hexadecimal, Gigabyte, Kilobyte, and Daemon. A virus is always a villain. RB: 1
Contagious or poisonous matter, as of specific ulcers, the bite of snakes, etc.; -- applied to organic poisons.
Any animal poison, especially one produced by and capable of transmitting disease.
vii-Rruss) The meaning of this word in this text is the same as it means in your dictionary. The viral strains in this case target certain plants. Just as small, just as deadly.
Commonly, the belief of incompetent users that some mysterious external force is to blame for their mistakes at the keyboard.
Keywords:
vulnerabilities
Vulnerabilities
A game where you play as an antibody fighting off a virus, developed using the open source Ogre 3D engine and C++.
reference to HIV
Keywords:
voice, authentication
Keywords:
watering
Watering