Exam 9: Privacy, Security, and Ethics

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Viruses are programs that migrate through networks and operating systems, and most attach themselves to different programs and databases. While some viruses are relatively harmless, many can be quite destructive. Once activated, these destructive viruses can alter and/or delete files. Creating and knowingly spreading a virus is a very serious crime and a federal offense punishable under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Unfortunately, new computer viruses are appearing all the time. The best way to stay current is through services that keep track of viruses on a daily basis. Worms are programs that simply replicate themselves over and over again. Once active in a network, the self-replicating activity clogs computers and networks until their operations are slowed or stopped. Viruses and worms typically find their way into microcomputers through e-mail attachments and programs downloaded from the Internet. Trojan horses are programs that come into a computer system disguised as something else. Trojan horses are not viruses. Like worms, however, they can be carriers of viruses. The most common types of Trojan horses appear as free computer games and free screen saver programs that can be downloaded from the Internet. When a user downloads one of these programs, a virus is deposited on their computer system.