The Truth Behind Computer Virus Transmission through Media

If you believe what you hear in the media, there are a great deal of viruses circulating. No, I'm not referring to the type of virus that causes illness, although those also receive considerable attention. I'm referring to the type of virus that enters your system through your internet connection as opposed to your nasal passages.

Many of these so-called "viruses" are not, in fact, viruses, contrary to what the majority of radio and television newscasts and the most important headlines and opening paragraphs of newspaper articles will have you believe.

What Computer Viruses Are Specifically

The primary reason why the mainstream media are perpetually alarmed about viruses is that they frequently refer to any malicious computer program as a virus. There are, in fact, at least eleven distinct types of malicious software, or malware, that commonly affect computers today. Worms, Trojans, and spyware are among the most prevalent.

Therefore, what distinguishes computer viruses from other types of malware? In contrast, computer viruses are virtually the only ones that routinely shut down computers and cause other blatant damage. Worms, Trojans, and spyware are the most prevalent of the other types of malware that are typically only detectable with a specialized scan.

The Real Threat Computer Viruses Pose

If other types of malware are so unobtrusive that they can only be detected with a specialized scan, there is no cause for concern. To begin with, these programs are termed malicious for a reason: they are intended to cause harm, if not to your computer, then to another's.

Worms are most commonly used to harm, destroy, or disrupt computer networks other than the host computer's network. For example, website owners have used worms to shut down rival websites by sending an overwhelming number of requests to the computer hosting that website. Worms have also been utilized to send viruses to other computers, frequently without infecting the host computer; after all, why would the worm want to shut down its host computer?

Trojans are frequently used to install worms and other malicious software on your computer, even if the Trojan itself is harmless.

Even if you don't care what happens to others, you should still be concerned about spyware, a type of malware that collects information from your computer and sends it to a remote host.

The majority of spyware is only interested in tracking your Internet activity so that it can inform other programs, known as adware, what advertisements to display on your computer. There are, however, malicious spyware programs that steal financial information or commit identity theft. Do you not believe your computer contains personal or financial information? Some spyware programs contain a keylogger, a program that records everything you type, typically to steal passwords. Even if you do not store any financial information on your computer, if you ever make an online purchase, the keylogger would allow its owner to purchase items using the same information you typed in.

Why Are the Media Blamed?

Isn't it a good thing that the media are becoming hysterical about malware, given its inherent danger? And can't they be excused for sloppy reporting when they refer to Trojans, worms, spyware, and other malware as "viruses"?

No, no, no.

This is a classic example of poor reporting causing more harm than no reporting. In this instance, irresponsible reporting has contributed to the propagation of the following urban legend: "A virus is the only malicious software. Viruses damage your computer. Consequently, if my computer is operating normally, it contains no malicious software. My computer only needs to be scanned for problems when there are indications of problems."

Due to this myth, many individuals allow their antivirus software to become months out of date, unwilling to schedule an automatic update. In a similar vein, many individuals lack additional software to combat other types of malware that may not be covered by their antivirus software.

"But I've never had malware on my computer before!" is a common response from those who have discovered malware on their computers after a scan. But if they hadn't scanned, how would they have known?

The world will continue to have major, protracted problems with malware that could have been eradicated as soon as anti-malware software developers discovered it until the largest mainstream media, and especially television, begin educating the public about the need to have their computers automatically scanned at least once per day.

And until then, the mainstream media will have many more opportunities to run hysterical stories about "viruses," forcing them to sell more newspapers and broadcast to even larger audiences of information-hungry individuals who never seem to be satisfied.

Keywords: computer and computer assistance