Defining viruses, worms, and Trojan horses According to Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, a computer virus is "a computer program

usually hidden within another seemingly innocuous program that produces copies of itself and inserts them into other programs or files, and that usually performs a malicious action (such as destroying data)". Computer viruses are never naturally occurring; they are always man-made. Once created and released, however, their spread is not directly under human control.

Macro viruses: A macro is a piece of code that can be embedded in a data file. A macro virus is thus a virus that exists as a macro attached to a data file. In most respects, macro viruses are like all other viruses. The main difference is that they are attached to data files (i.e., documents) rather than executable programs. Document-based viruses are, and will likely continue to be, more prevalent than any other type of virus.

Worms: Worms are very similar to viruses in that they are computer programs that replicate functional copies of themselves (usually to other computer systems via network connections) and often, but not always, contain some functionality that will interfere with the normal use of a computer or a program. Unlike viruses, however, worms exist as separate entities; they do not attach themselves to other files or programs. Because of their similarity to viruses, worms also are often referred to as viruses.

Trojan horses: A Trojan horse is a program that does something undocumented which the programmer intended, but that users would not accept if they knew about it. By some definitions, a virus is a particular case of a Trojan horse, namely, one which is able to spread to other programs (i.e., it turns them into Trojans too). According to others, a virus that does not do any deliberate damage (other than merely replicating) is not a Trojan. Finally, despite the definitions, many people use the term "Trojan" to refer only to a non-replicating malicious program.

A computer virus is a program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Viruses can also replicate

themselves. All computer viruses are man-made. A simple virus that can make a copy of itself over and over again is relatively easy to produce. Even such a simple virus is dangerous because it will quickly use all available memory and bring the system to a halt. An even more dangerous type of virus is one capable of transmitting itself across networks and bypassing security systems. Since 1987, when a virus infected ARPANET, a large network used by the Defense Department and many universities, many antivirus programs have become available. These programs periodically check your computer system for the best-known types of viruses. Some people distinguish between general viruses and worms. A worm is a special type of virus that can replicate itself and use memory, but cannot attach itself to other programs. A computer virus is an executable program. Depend on the nature of a virus, it may cause damage of your hard disk contents, and/or interfere normal operation of your computer.

By definition, a virus program is able to replicate itself. This means that the virus multiplies on a computer by making copies of itself. This replication is intentional; it is part of the virus program. In most cases, if a file that contains virus is executed or copied onto another computer, then that computer will also be "infected" by the same virus. What it is Spyware includes any data collection program that secretly gathers information about you and relays it to advertisers and other interested parties. Adware usually displays banners or unwanted pop-up windows. In many cases, unwanted programs of this sort do both functions.

You can unknowingly install spyware when you install new software, most commonly freeware or shareware P2P (peer-to-peer) file-sharing programs. Many of these programs are designed to track your Internet browsing habits, such as frequented sites and favorite downloads, and then provide advertising companies with marketing data.

Some spyware programs can adversely affect your computer's performance, and may prevent you from accessing secure services at Indiana University, including Oncourse, IU Webmail, CAS, and OneStart.

How to remove it Unfortunately, you cannot fully remove most spyware and adware programs by using the uninstall option in the Windows Add or Remove Programs control panel. To completely remove spyware from your Windows computer, UITS recommends using Windows Defender. Also, many antivirus products, such as Symantec AntiVirus (SAV) or Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP), can scan for and remove spyware and adware. For help, see How can SAV for Windows scan for spyware and adware, as well as for viruses? Spyware is a type of of malicious program installed on computers that collects information about users without their knowledge. The presence of spyware is typically hidden from the user and can be difficult to

detect. Some spyware, such as keyloggers, may be installed by the owner of a shared, corporate, or public computer intentionally in order to monitor users. While the term spyware suggests software that monitors a user's computing, the functions of spyware can extend beyond simple monitoring. Spyware can collect almost any type of data, including personal information like Internet surfing habits, user logins, and bank or credit account information. Spyware can also interfere with user control of a computer by installing additional software or redirecting Web browsers. Some spyware can change computer settings, which can result in slow Internet connection speeds, unauthorized changes in browser settings, or changes to software settings. Sometimes, spyware is included along with genuine software, and may come from an malicious website. In response to the emergence of spyware, a small industry has sprung up dealing in anti-spyware software. Running anti-spyware software has become a widely recognized element of computer

security practices for computers, especially those running Microsoft Windows. A number of jurisdictions have passed anti-spyware laws, which usually target any software that is surreptitiously installed to control a user's computer
Trojan Horse virus Whats a Trojan Horse virus? A Trojan Horse is an email virus usually released by an email attachment. If opened, it will scour your hard drive for any personal and financial information such as your social security, account, and PIN numbers. Once it has collected your info, it is sent to a thiefs database. Now, there are Trojan Horses and there are viruses, but there's no such thing as a Trojan Horse virus. In fact, the very definition of each precludes any chance of there being such a thing. A Trojan does not replicate. Viruses do. That fact alone means there can never be a "Trojan Horse virus". The Visa description continues with, "A Trojan Horse is an email virus usually released by an email attachment." Not so. A Trojan may be sent as an attachment in email, but it's certainly not an email virus. (In fact there are few true email viruses, but that's a whole other topic). So it may or may not arrive in email, and it's equally likely to have been downloaded from a website or resulted from a P2P file transfer. In other words, vector has nothing to do with whether something is or isn't a Trojan. Just what is a Trojan then? A Trojan is a program that appears to be legitimate, but in fact does something malicious. Quite often, that something malicious involves gaining remote, surreptitious access to a user's system. Unlike viruses, a Trojan does not replicate (i.e. infect other files), nor does it make copies of itself as worms do. There are several different types of Trojans. Some of these include: remote access Trojans (RATs), backdoor Trojans (backdoors), IRC Trojans (IRCbots), and keylogging Trojans. Many Trojan encompass multiple types. For example, a Trojan may install both a keylogger and a backdoor. IRC Trojans are often combined with backdoors and RATs to create collections of infected computers known as botnets.