Page 84 - Computing E-Book Grade 6
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The City School 2021-2022
3.8. Internet Hazards
Computer Virus
The term Computer Virus was first used in 1984 by
Fred Cohen. Cohen was the first to
suggest that one computer program could infect
another one. He later noted that a virus could
spread through a computer system or network to
infect other computers.
How Viruses Spread
Viruses are spread in a number of ways:
Downloads from the Use of pirated Through exchange of email attachements macro-viruses hidden
internet. software diskettes and emails in documents.
3.9. Types of Computer Viruses
Trojan
A Trojan is not a computer virus in the sense that it doesn’t get into the computer and
self replicate. A Trojan is software that appears to function in a certain way (such as
a program that user may have downloaded to remove viruses or spyware), when in
reality it performs another action, unknown to the user. A Trojan is not always harmful
and damaging to the computer, but it can open a back-door for hackers to get into the
computer and cause damage.
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