I’ve always wondered how computer viruses are made. If someone creates a virus on their own computer, wouldn’t it infect and potentially destroy their system first before it’s spread to others?
In: 249
Just like how you can build a bomb without blowing yourself up, you can make a computer virus without actually running it on your computer.
Of course, if you want to *test* your virus, then you likely will need to run it, and that’s where things like virtual machines that other people mentioned come into play.
Just like how you can build a bomb without blowing yourself up, you can make a computer virus without actually running it on your computer.
Of course, if you want to *test* your virus, then you likely will need to run it, and that’s where things like virtual machines that other people mentioned come into play.
to test it, they use virtual machines, otherwise the virus doesn’t execute unless the creator wants it to
Viruses are just computer programs.
They are designed to spread copies of themselves to other computers. Possibly through a network, in old days through media like USB and floppy disks.
**They can have a destructive “payload** that is designed to do something (other than spread copies of itself) after being triggered on a certain date, or by a certain command.
Say you picked a certain date as the trigger condition, and the payload command was to erase the hard drive. As long as you removed it from your computer by that date you were fine.
there was a tool called [virus creation lab](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virus_Creation_Laboratory) that let non programmers put together a basic virus.
lots of people got into trouble playing with this.
to test it, they use virtual machines, otherwise the virus doesn’t execute unless the creator wants it to
Viruses are just computer programs.
They are designed to spread copies of themselves to other computers. Possibly through a network, in old days through media like USB and floppy disks.
**They can have a destructive “payload** that is designed to do something (other than spread copies of itself) after being triggered on a certain date, or by a certain command.
Say you picked a certain date as the trigger condition, and the payload command was to erase the hard drive. As long as you removed it from your computer by that date you were fine.
there was a tool called [virus creation lab](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virus_Creation_Laboratory) that let non programmers put together a basic virus.
lots of people got into trouble playing with this.
What? What do you think a computer Virus is? It’s not an actual Virus. It’s a Programm. Is must in some way be executed to have an effect. Why would that creator do that on a computer he doesnt wanna infect?
Also, if it was programmed in a way that this would Happen automatically, what would stop them to do that on a virtual machine or a disposable hard drive?
What? What do you think a computer Virus is? It’s not an actual Virus. It’s a Programm. Is must in some way be executed to have an effect. Why would that creator do that on a computer he doesnt wanna infect?
Also, if it was programmed in a way that this would Happen automatically, what would stop them to do that on a virtual machine or a disposable hard drive?
Funnily enough there have been accidents with people handling viruses and destroying their own computer accidentally. But mostly it’s done in virtual machines, so it’s easy to rewind and do testing.
FWIW: it’s not because you have the file on your computer that you have executed it already.
Also during testing: it’s easy to add a simple test for a specific file for the malware to not do anything if it exists. That file is then created on the computer you use to build the executable to prevent it accidentally being run.
Funnily enough there have been accidents with people handling viruses and destroying their own computer accidentally. But mostly it’s done in virtual machines, so it’s easy to rewind and do testing.
FWIW: it’s not because you have the file on your computer that you have executed it already.
Also during testing: it’s easy to add a simple test for a specific file for the malware to not do anything if it exists. That file is then created on the computer you use to build the executable to prevent it accidentally being run.
Latest Answers