It is a Malware program that replicates itself and modifies itself into computer programs, data files and hard drive booting sections. When this happens it is said to be infected with a virus. Virus writer as they are called use social engineering and security vulnerability to exploit and harm computers and networks. Computer viruses cause damages worth billions of dollars every year. As soon as an Anitvirus software comes up for a certain virus writers start developing a more complex virus or improve the existing one.
What was the First Computer Virus?
One of the first computer viruses to ever be developed was called The Creeper. It was dedicated on the ARPANET, an ancestor of the Internet. Once it copied itself into the system it would display a message saying “I’m the creeper, catch me if you can”.
There are possibly thousands of viruses that have been designed for different motives. Some major reasons are to control a computer or specific task, to illegally produce money, to steal personal details, to showoff skills or revenge and to completely destroy a network.