What is a computer virus and how can you minimise the risk of being infected by one?
551322
It is a malicious program that does all kind of nasty things like deleting your data and causing programs to quit working.\n\nYou can get a free anti virus program here - http://www.download.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10503939.html?tag=lst-0-2\n\nGet it and install it and it will protect you.
497511
use windows live safety scanner.the link is as follows:\nhttp://safety.live.com\nYou must do a full service scan where it will download some components to your system and then perform the scan and remove the virus.
77076
You will have to use an anti-virus software for cleaning out a virus-infected PC.  Just run the software and it will detect and clean the viruses.  You can buy commercial software like Norton or McAfee or download and install free anti-virus software like AVG.
86319
This is only part true.\n\nYes, email is one means of spreading viruses. If an email user opens an attachment to an email, this email may contain a virus spreading to parts of your computer or sending it to everyone on your contacts list so that they can open it.\n\nBut, viruses are also spread by downloading files that you think are safe, but are actually hiding malicious code which can spread a virus around as well.\n\nDon't worry about which email client you use, all of them are succeptible to viruses, even Yahoo. Just make sure that you have a good anti virus program on your system and that you do regular full system scans.\n\nI have listed some good anti virus programs below.
335909
No, a computer virus is just a computer program.
407413
Better install some antivirum applications like NORTON ANTIVIRUS, McCafe..... and Install POP-UP blockers also which will also protect ur system from being infected from unwanted downloads which is liley to have virus applications.\n\nAlso, better ensure the system is scanned everytime u start your PC.. It may take additional time to boot, but will be recommended usage.
1140585
Okay, yes a virus can be prevented, if you have the right set of software\nnow the other questions are hard to explain...
124152
viruses is too general.\n\nTrojans spread by hiding inside other things, usually email, though email is not the only vector.\n\nspyware does not usually attempt to spread once on your system....however, they use trojans/worms to open backdoors on the PC, and THEY will sometimes spread.  spyware comes in 2 flavors, broswer monitoring, and keyloggers-programs that record every keystroke pressed and send it via internet to a 'bad guy' somewhere. useful for collecting personal info and passwords, financial etc.\n\nhope this helps !
464542
if you're trying to get rid of a virus you're better off using antivirus to figure out if you have a virus and which one it is first, then work on getting rid of it
126567
In computer security technology, a virus is a self-replicating program that spreads by inserting copies of itself into other executable code or documents. A computer virus behaves in a way similar to a biological virus, which spreads by inserting itself into living cells. Extending the analogy, the insertion of a virus into the program is termed as an infection, and the infected file (or executable code that is not part of a file) is called a host. \n\nIn the context of computer software, a Trojan horse is a malicious program that is disguised as legitimate software. The term is derived from the classical myth of the Trojan horse. In the siege of Troy, the Greeks left a large wooden horse outside the city. The Trojans were convinced that it was a gift, and moved the horse to a place within the city walls. It turned out that the horse was hollow, containing Greek soldiers who opened the city gates of Troy at night, making it possible for the Greek army to pillage the city. Trojan horse programs work in a similar way: they may look useful or interesting (or at the very least harmless) to an unsuspecting user, but are actually harmful when executed.\n\nA computer worm is a self-replicating computer program, similar to a computer virus. A virus attaches itself to, and becomes part of, another executable program; however, a worm is self-contained and does not need to be part of another program to propagate itself. \n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_virus
239951
here let me try to make it simple ,a virus is a harmfull code "computer instructions" injects itself into different file types depending on the virus type ,most of viruses infects excutable files , viruses needs a host which can be a file or the disk boot sector cauz viruses are some instructions which tries to be hidden so its always more optimized than other suspecios programs ,there r lots of advanced viruses wich tries to hide it self so the antivirus software cant detect like stealth viruses which returns to the antivirus wrong data abt a file for example and others are polymorphic which increpts it self using different routens, \n\nspyware and adware are very differ from viruses ,in its purpose and its structure spyware is hosted by a trojan file which is a file that once its installed on ur PC it downloads adware and spyware files and run it spyware doesnt infect files and it dont damage it , the main purpose of spyware can be collecting data like ur account password and it may monitors ur activity so it pops advertisments which r related to ur searchs , its a matter of forcing u to see ads as the adware developer is payed for it . viruses are more advanced melicious code, but adware is more common now as its buisesness thing , some free software progs come with adware as  price for the service he provides "which always almost useless".
865723
You may have transfered a virus onto your computer
771859
Here you have some good and free antivirus programs: http://askcomputerexpert.ws43.com/download/security.htm\nGet one!
754612
make sure you wear protection - there's a lot of viruses out there!
1058516
Let's explain this in human terms- \n\nA virus to a computer is like a viral infection to a human.  It is like the air bound bacteria that travels through the air that cause us to get ill if contacted- such like a common cold.  Unlike us, a computer doesn't have a natural immune system to protect it from bad elements, and that why an Up-To -Date Anti-Virus Program with  auto-updating virus definitions is very essential.  Computer viruses and all other pest and scary crawlers are all over the virtual web.  \nA computer can easily catches a virus by us clicking on a link, more opening a document that already has a virus in it, etc....  Consequently, the level of damages a virus can do to a PC depends on its incubation period(how long b4 noticed) and its characteristics(the purpose in nature. ex- keylogger, hacker, etc...).  A general virus symtoms are 1.  Your PC runs extremely slow all of a sudden. 2. changes in display resolutions.  3. frozen. and 4. "if it sneezed."  HA!  HA!\nI have a theory that computer viruses is evolving although there hasn't been proofed facts about computer virus mutations.  By observing the similarities of different viruses' habitats and the linkages btw their family trees(1), I came with the theory that many new viruses are actually evolved from the previous ones within that family.  Relevantly, other more serious bugs like worms, swans, and etc are actually albinos mutated from the many virus families; which is one of the reasons why these are harder to get rid.
794295
People doing risky and stupid things on their computer, and not protecting themselves from even the most basic of threats.\n\nHackers and malware writers can attack at will, and will be successful the majority of the time.
494683
Usually virus's are programs to attack different fields of the computer.  If it is a trojan horse then it will be sleeping on your computer waiting for you to hit the Requirement(could be a folder, or type a leter of number, etc.) that was set to release the virus into your computer to do the damage.