Computer malware

Windows operating systems are more susceptible to computer viruses than Mac OS, Linux or BSD. There are three reasons for that.

1. Windows operating systems are more popular. It makes sense for an attacker to target that operating system that has more users. Why target an operating system, which has less users?

2. It is more accessible. If a person goes to a computer store, chances are that this person will find a PC computer. Apple computers may not sell there. Apple has its own stores, dedicated to Apple products, and Apple computers are sold there.

3. Windows operating systems are more open to computer viruses than Mac, Linux or BSD flavor because these use different security models.


The number of computer viruses go to hundreds of thousands. Every day new computer viruses are developed.

Detection of computer viruses is done via the signature or by their behavior. Some files should not be touched, and if these files are modified by some process, that may be an indication that a computer is infected by a virus.

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Why are computer viruses developed?

I can think of several reasons for that:

Too much free time. People that develop computer viruses simply have too much free time and they don’t know how to use the time that they have.

Fame. Although there are other ways to get famous, people that develop computer viruses can brag that they developed computer viruses that infected thousands of the machines.

Ease of development. There are computer virus generators out there. A person who develops a computer virus may not necessarily know a programming language or how to develop an application. That person simply can specify what the computer virus is supposed to do, and that person gets a brand new and shiny computer virus.

Steal secrets. Some of the computer viruses (I know that I use the term virus loosely in here) or harmful programs may steal sensitive information such as passwords or financial information.

Remote access to a computer. A computer that is infected with a virus or a “Trojan Horse” (a bot) may become a part of a network that is operated by someone else. Such computing resources can be later sold or used to benefit that person who installed a malicious program there.

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