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Adware
Adware is a non-replicating program or software application that is designed to display ads to the user. Adware can contain spyware that determines specific ads to serve to the user based on individual browsing habits. Some adware is placed on your computer in exchange for use of other free programs.
Attack
An attack is an attempt to enter a computer’s security system without authorization. Attacks can be active or passive. Active attacks attempt to alter or destroy data. Passive attacks try to intercept or change data without altering it.
Aliases
An alias is an alternate name for a specific virus. The Computer Antivirus Research Organization (CARO) sets the standard for naming viruses, but antivirus vendors may create their own names or aliases for the virus.
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Backdoor
A backdoor is a program through which unauthorized programmers can obtain access to secure areas of your system. Once the security has been bypassed, these programs can make changes to the operating system and the registry. Backdoors often are associated with Trojan horses. Hackers will place backdoors to gain re-entry easily after their initial attack.
Background Scanning
Background scanning is a feature used by some antivirus software products that automatically scans files and documents as they are created, opened, closed or executed.
Blended Threat
A blended threat is a virus that combines techniques and characteristics of different types of viruses and can propagate without any human assistance.
Boot Sector Infector
A boot sector infector virus infects the boot sector on a floppy disk. Attempts to boot the computer from an infected floppy infected with a boot sector virus will launch the virus and place it into the memory so that it will reload every time the system starts up. These are the most common type of viruses and can destroy the boot information, other floppies, the entire drive and networks.
Bug
A bug is typically an unintended error in a software application that can create unwanted side effects and cause security vulnerabilities.
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Circular Infection
A circular infection occurs when two viruses infect the boot sector of a disk and render it unbootable. When one virus is removed, the other virus is typically re-infected.
COM File
A COM file (short for command) is a type of executable file limited to 64 KB. Typically used for utility programs and small routines, these executable COM files are susceptible to virus infection. Once the COM file is run, the virus is run as well and many times loaded into memory.
Companion Virus
A companion virus does not attach itself to other programs; rather it infects executable files by creating a companion file with the same name and a .COM extension. Because DOS executes .COM files before .EXE files and .BAT files, the virus loads before the actual program .EXE file and the system appears normal.
Cold Boot
A cold boot is the process of starting up the computer from a floppy disk. No programs are allowed to load into memory other than those included on the floppy.
Many authorities believe the only way to ensure that a computer is free of viruses is to perform a cold boot immediately followed by a virus scan.
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Denial of Service
A denial of service occurs when a virus infects a computer, server or network to the point that it consumes system resources and disallows normal operation and access into it. These attacks are typically designed to shutdown or disable access into an entire network.
Dropper
A dropper is a rare program that installs (drops) a virus into a computer system. This .dr file, similar to a Trojan horse, is designed in a manner to go undetected by normal scans of the delivered virus.
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Encrypted Virus
An encrypted virus initiates its code with a decryption algorithm and proceeds with encrypted code for the duration of the virus. Successive infections are automatically encoded differently in an attempt to remain undetected.
EXE file
An EXE file is an executable file that typically contains a program. These program files are the common host of known viruses and can be executed from other programs, batch files and particular script files. Once infected, these programs continue to run the virus each time they launch.
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File Infector
A file infector is a type of virus that primarily infects executable programs. These types of viruses are known for not physically attaching themselves to other files, but associating themselves with program filenames.
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Heuristic
Heuristic refers to a method of scanning by antivirus software that uses a behavior analysis technique to try to identify new suspected viruses. This method can produce false alarms if a clean program behaves similar to a known virus, however it is not fooled by a new variation of an existing virus.
Hoax
A hoax is a warning message of a recent virus attack that is not legitimate. Typically spread by email, this false warning has the intent of spreading fear and wasting the recipient’s time.
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Macro Virus
A macro is a short program used to automate several steps of an application or system and is typically written in Visual Basic. A macro virus is a program typically written in the same language as a macro that can spread via infected files such as documents, spreadsheets, etc. This virus can infect a file at times of opening, saving, closing or deleting.
Malware
Malware is a basic name for programs designed to intentionally unleash harmful or undesirable actions through viruses, worms and Trojans.
Memory Resident Virus
A memory resident virus resides in the computer memory after it infects files and remains active with the ability to continue to infect other files.
Multi-Partite Virus
A multi-partite virus is composed of numerous parts. If one part is extracted from the computer, another part will rebuild it, making removal difficult. Total elimination of a multi-partite virus requires cleaning of the boot sector and infected files.
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Polymorphic Virus
A polymorphic virus has a certain routine that alters a portion of the virus code each time it reproduces so that it evades detection by antivirus programs. This alteration of the code is typically done through encryption of the virus body and changes the decryption code each time it replicates.
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Scanner
A scanner is program created to search and detect viruses. Some scanners operate automatically in the background to scan disk and files while other scanners operate at a preset time through scheduling software or on demand.
Spyware
Spyware is a name for a program that is designed to monitor computer usage and browsing habits. The spyware program is typically loaded onto a users computer without any notice or knowledge of the user. Once activated, this program can send information to third parties.
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Trojan Horse
A trojan horse is an infection that disguises itself as a computer program that claims to be something desirable, such as a free movie or game and ends up being a destructive program that can damage your computer. These infections are not able to replicate themselves or spread throughout a network on their own.
Tunneling
Tunneling is a virus technique designed to allow viruses to tunnel under antivirus applications in order to get around their monitoring. Antivirus programs function by halting actions of the operating system that allow the virus to be executed. Tunneling viruses try to redirect these actions of the OS and execute the virus.
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Virus
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.
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Worm
A worm is a type of infection that does not rely on another program to be executed. Typically utilizing email as its main transportation source, worms have the ability to move around freely in a computer network, even generating bogus emails to entire address books, replicating and wrecking havoc.
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