To protect your computer from computer viruses. Let's know what happens when you get infected!

Troublesome computer viruses that can cause problems such as slowing down your computer and leaking personal information.. Now that the information society has progressed and the number of individuals using computers has increased, weIt is necessary to deepen our understanding of computer viruses and take countermeasures.there is. In this article, we will explain what a computer virus is and what happens if it is infected, as an entry point to antivirus measures.

What is a computer virus? Explaining the mechanism of infection

What is a computer virus?

IPA (Information-technology Promotion Agency), an IT policy implementation agency under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, defines a computer virus as follows.

“A computer virus is an extremely small program that parasitizes programs. It propagates by copying itself to other program files without permission, and causes unexpected behavior due to the contents prepared in advance by the computer virus itself. It is a unique program with a specific purpose.”

In other words,Software that causes trouble within a computer while proliferating within a programIt refers toA computer virus is a type of malicious software "malware" that is characterized by being "transmissible", "staying latent until conditions are met", and "causing abnormalities".is.

How computer viruses infect

manyHow computer viruses propagate themselvesI have. When a file on your computer is infected, it may automatically infect other files connected to the network, or it may use the address book or email history on your computer to automatically send emails with the virus. As a result, the virus spreads quickly over a wide area.

The sources of virus infection and the objectives of the crimes vary, and their power ranges from subtle to powerful.. If the virus is created by a criminal trying to test one's technical skills, the damage may be light, but if it is more malicious, the damage will be greater and more complex.

Additionally, it is easy to ignore the damage and ignore it while the damage is light. As a result, the virus could multiply and by the time you noticed it, it was too late. Therefore,Knowing the infection route and pathogenesis of the virus is necessary for early detection and effective treatment of the virus.That's it.

Symptoms of virus infection

So what happens if your computer is infected with a virus?In order to prevent virus infection and deal with it after infection, let's start by knowing the symptoms.. In this chapter, we will introduce the symptoms that occur when infected with a virus.

Viruses can be broadly divided into the following four types, and the number of types can be further expanded depending on the severity and location of the virus.

• Destroying Data
• leak contaminated information
• take an abnormal action
• Reduce computer performance

Now, let's look at each content in more detail.

Destroying Data

Erase and destroy files stored on your hard diskwill be done. Additionally, problems such as corrupted file and browser notation may occur.

leak contaminated information

Without knowing it,Sending virus-laden emails without permission or sending important data such as passwords to external partiesYou may. This is a method that can easily cause damage.

take an abnormal action

From things that just display some kind of message or image,Operations such as playing music or accessing unintended disks may occur without permission.. As a result, you may open infected files or download images, which may lead to further virus infections.

Reduce computer performance

It causes files and systems to take an abnormally long time to start, or prevent them from starting at all. Furthermore, like thisIt may cause abnormalities in the computer's performance and then display advertisements for fake antivirus software.there is. In this way, computer viruses impede user safety through a variety of approaches.

Measures to prevent virus infection and what to do if detected

In this chapterIntroducing how to prevent computer virus infection and what to do if you are infected with a virusI will continue to do so. Let's consider this in conjunction with the details of the onset of the virus explained in the previous chapter, and take effective measures.

Measures against computer virus infection

To prevent virus infection, you can take the following measures:

• Keep your OS (operating system) up to date
• Install antivirus software
• Do not access suspicious information

Viruses can infect systems by exploiting vulnerabilities, so it is important to keep the OS and antivirus software up to date. Also, try not to open emails or files that you do not know the sender of.

What to do when you discover a computer virus

Virus development technology is constantly evolving, so even if you take precautions, you may still get infected. Therefore, when you discover a virus infection, please be aware of the three typical countermeasures below.

1. Check using the virus scan function
2. Use antivirus software to disinfect
3. Initialize your computer

If you notice symptoms similar to those listed in the previous chapter, check for the virus using software that has a virus scan function and remove it. Antivirus software may also have scanning and disinfection capabilities.

In most cases, this method will resolve the problem, but if the problem is serious and the software cannot completely remove it, you may need to reset the computer. but,Please note that when you initialize your computer, information on the hard disk will be deleted. Also, since they can be deleted by viruses, it is best to back up important data and files frequently.

Know the details of the virus and take appropriate measures

How was it? Nowadays, the number of individual computer owners has increased,Anyone can be infected with a computer virus. Knowing the details of the disease will help you better understand how to prevent viral infection and what to do if you find yourself infected.Take thorough measures against computer viruses to prevent damage to yourself and those around you.and use the Internet safely and comfortably.

[Reference site]
・“What is a computer virus?” Cybersecurity site for citizens│Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications