The Love Bug Virus

The Difficulty of Creating a Computer Virus and the Frequency with which this Happens

A computer virus is a malicious program that can replicate it structure and affects other files on the computer. It can pass through an email attachment, CD, or memory disk. When it is pioneered in a computer, it attaches itself to or even replaces an existing program even sometimes when the user run the program it executes itself, for instance, I love you virus, which came to be the love bug virus. The program itself is not harmful, but the work it does make it harmful (Gregory, 2004).

Computer viruses may include operations that are normally for Trojan horse and other malicious malware but does not mean they are the same. Its replicating nature makes it multiply itself, and thus being difficult to delete from the computer or any other disk. It changes itself making it hard for anti-virus to detect it. People creating these programs are afraid of the problem in its replication nature making it hard for them create. This is because the virus occurs once the program is executed, and they lack control over its replicating nature (Shelly, Vermaat & Quasney,2011).

Many nations have prohibited the creation of these software and those caught receive a jail sentence. This is because many people who are creating these viruses are doing it for fun, malicious intentions and other for financial embezzlement. Virus has caused damaged to organizations and they have put million of dollars to waste.

The Difference between A Virus and A Worm, and How the Respective Threat Levels Compare

A worm is a program that replicates itself just like a virus throughout the system performing malicious damage but it spreads itself to other systems without any interference or being part of another program. It takes advantage of a file transfer features in a system, which makes it pass through unsupported (Aftab,1997).

A worm is more dangerous than a virus because of its ability to replicate by itself. This ability enables it to send millions copies of worms by itself, and this result in a negative impact. For example using an email address box, a worm can send a copy of itself to everyone listed, replicate itself and send to everyone listed on the receiver address book and the process continues.

At the end of the process, the worm will have transferred million copies of itself and this is destructive to personal or organization data. In addition, they consume much of a system’s memory or bandwidth causing internet servers, web servers, and computers slow down and even to some extent collapsing (Bocij, 2006).

Are non-Microsoft operating systems less prone to virus attack? Why or why not?

Some operating systems are less prone to viruses; most prospective software developer has developed operation systems that are efficient enough to prevent viruses due to customer demand and preferences. Technological advancement increased multifaceted challenges has been pulling old operating system and due to this, many companies are working on upgrading their system to curb the threats. Mac, Linux, Windows, UNIX, Dos are the best selling operating system in the market and being used for all purpose by all people around the globe (Brown, 2011).

They all have minimum-security quote, and they offer guard from viruses although some are better in terms of functionality and safeguarding (Gentle, 2007). Linux and Mac seem to be the best because they are less exposed to risk and can run any type of antivirus. Every product has a special feature and their descriptions are well drawn to customer in order to make their preferred choices. Advertisement of products all over the internet is enabling customers to make informed choices.