What About Viruses?

Computer viruses are a reality for anyone who downloads files or software from the Internet.

Types of Viruses

Computer viruses come in three main flavors: boot viruses, file viruses, and macro viruses. Each type attacks your computer in a different manner. Viruses are platform dependent (i.e. you can't give your PC virus to your MAC) with one notable exception. Macro viruses can be spread across platforms.

• Boot Virus
  Also known as: System Sector Virus
  • Infects the boot sector of a hard or floppy disk
  • Becomes active when the computer is booted from that infected sector
  • Is one of the most common viruses

• File Virus
  
  • Infects executable files (such as .exe and .com files as well as libraries such as .dll files)
  • Becomes active when the infected file is run; the virus can then infect other files
  • Can have a file virus that is also a boot virus

• Macro Virus
  Also known as: "Data" File Virus
  • Relatively new
  • Infects documents which have embedded macros
  • Popular programs which experience macro viruses: Word^TM and Excel^TM

The virus information in this curriculum was written by the
Digital Media Center, University of Minnesota

The Master Internet Volunteer Program was developed by the University of Minnesota Extension Service and was adapted for use in North Dakota with permission. Copyright  © 2000  North Dakota State University. All rights reserved.

North Dakota State University Extension Service