The computer virus gets its name because of its similarities with biological viruses that infect our bodies.

When you get a virus in your body, it spreads through your system and can be passed on to other people. It almost always results in side effects that you won’t like.

Computer viruses are very similar:

• They have the ability to copy themselves
• They can spread to other computers
• They generally carry some kind of “payload” that will have undesirable effects

Like many other things in the world of computers, the term “virus” has become the standard term applied to a number of different types of malware, or malicious software. Technically, the following three things are each unique, but they’re generally all considered viruses.

1. Viruses

An honest-to-goodness virus has to have the ability to copy itself and run itself as well.

2. Worms

A work spreads through computer networks, such as the internet, through email or other means as well as being able to make copies of themselves.

3. Trojan Horses

A trojan horse takes its name from the mythological horse presented to the Trojans. It masquerades itself as a useful, legitimate piece of software, but when run it installs malicious code along with the good.