The Evolution of Viruses

A lot of people cringe at the thought of viruses and how it can be really annoying in one’s computer. Computer owners who aren’t savvy with their technologies usually have no basic knowledge of what viruses are thus, does not choose their download carefully or not make sure that they are download safe files only. So what are the consequences of their lack of information? Tons of private information are being stolen and computers being sent to computer repair shops or being repaired by computer technicians.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time we have experienced this but it certainly has become more abundant in number and in intensities of attacks. This is the reason why a lot of people opt to get a masters degree in information security because if by getting one, they can get the most out of the state of the world’s internet security and earn from people who are being careless or those who need constant maintaining of securities. Along with that, the training they get equips them to understand the basics of information security along with how to withstand against virus attacks.

Virus, as an annoying reality that exists in the internet, has exceeded the “annoying” status that most people describe it. If annoying means that it should be blamed for the millions and millions of dollars being spent or lost every year just to compensate for the damage virus does and the stalled productivity then yes, viruses are annoying. However, an interesting thing about the losses cause by viruses is that most viruses that infected them were not designed to damage the system and those that do have malicious codes aren’t always successful. Because of the variety of antivirus programs that are available and the different operating systems that are available, these malicious codes are having a hard time infiltrating; however, it doesn’t mean they can’t.

Its Humble Beginnings

The virus started out very humbly and innocently. People find it very interesting to have a code that replicates itself into many similar codes. Many authors, professionals and scientists have been fascinated with this possibility and later on its discovery. As a result, many books, stories and movies have been made about it.

The initial dangerous wild viruses were intended to infect production systems and wreak havoc in the world of internet because there were still no antivirus programs back then. The in-houses viruses or the category for more than 15,000 viruses that are available circulating in the web is very different from the wild viruses that were made already. The strangest thing about the virus is that it seems to have a life of its own. You see, just like a personal computer where it seeks changes and updates, the growth and complication of the viruses are also present. If you study its history then you would see that from a simple self-replicating code it had slowly become something very different. Almost every year, it does change into a different virus that is even more complex. With the trend that it has, it is very scary to imagine what it would become and what it would do to computer owners for the years to come.

A very alarming feature that viruses have that was not present before it that they now are able to fight back against the defensive systems the computer owners employ. Some viruses have the ability to lie about who he is and take on a different identity which cloaks it into your system unnoticed. Other viruses have a different way of attacking your system and that is to hide behind beneficial applications or supplemental programs that will make you think it will improve your system wherein fact it will actually ruin it.However, in the light of all this, viruses can be stopped or at least monitored and controlled by having a professional who has ms in information security that will help you build up your system. That is why having someone on your team who has a masters degree information security is a must especially if you own a big company that is based on the internet for the reason that they themselves know how viruses work and the evolution of viruses.

EC-Council University is a licensed university that offers degrees and master’s degrees on Security Science online. The degrees and masters degree information security are recognized worldwide and may be used in any employment worldwide as well as the graduate certificates that they offer. With excellence and dedication as the core values, many professionals and degree holders and ms in information security have benefitted from undergoing the programs in this university.

More information about a master’s degree in security information is available at www.eccuni.us.