The computer virus definition has not changed since it came into existence.  Everyone who has ever used a computer knows what a virus is and the havoc that it can create.  So, let’s delve a little deeper into the subject.  A computer virus is a program created by man.  The sole purpose of this program is to infect and may, in turn, destroy programs and files on computers.  It can replicate itself, infect multiple programs and even spread to other computers.  Viruses can only spread from a computer to another computer.

The Different Kinds

Although there is one general computer virus definition, there are different types of viruses.  The file or program virus infects data and programs and can even destroy them. 

The boot sector virus, as the name suggests, infects the boot sectors of a hard or floppy disk. 

The multipartite virus infects and spreads in a variety of ways.  This virus is part boot sector virus that also contains other virus components, all of which can be spread. 

Macro viruses target Microsoft Office software like Excel and Word. 

The stealth virus works in such a way that they avoid detection and the polymorphic virus changes every time they attack, thereby making it difficult to detect them.

What Is the Best Kind of Protection?

Making sure that your computer has good antivirus software installed is the best way to prevent a virus attack.  However, just having the software installed is not good enough.  Your software should be able to update itself daily in order to have its computer virus definition directory up to date with the latest threats.  Software that does not do this will not provide adequate protection, as there are new, unique viruses born everyday.  You also need to ensure that your antivirus program is running all the time as virus attacks could come from anywhere including email, surfing or from data transfer through removable media.

Choosing an Antivirus

With the amount of antivirus software available, one can get quite confused.  When choosing antivirus software, one should make sure it has access to a computer virus definition directory to update itself.  You would also want to check on the ease of use of the software.  Another important factor to keep in mind is that not all antivirus software is tested.  It would be best to stick to the popular ones like McAfee, NOD 32, Norton, Kaspersky etc.  All of these come with free trial versions, so you can actually try the software before you buy it and use it daily.