The 20 most common PC viruses
and how to remove them

There are many different types of computer viruses, and new ones are created all the time. The 20 most common PC viruses and how to remove them are:

1. Trojan Horses

A Trojan Horse is a type of virus that masquerades as a legitimate program or file in order to trick the user into installing it. Once installed, the Trojan horse can wreak havoc on the victim’s computer, often stealing sensitive information or wreaking havoc on the system.

To protect yourself from Trojan Horses, be very careful about what programs you install on your computer. Only download programs from trusted sources, and be sure to read reviews before installing anything. If you think your computer may be infected with a Trojan Horse, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

2. Worms

Worms are similar to Trojan Horses in that they are designed to infect a computer and cause damage. However, unlike Trojan Horses, worms do not require any action from the user in order to spread. Once a worm is on a computer, it can spread itself to other computers on the same network, often causing widespread damage.

To protect yourself from worms, keep your anti-virus software up to date and run regular virus scans. Be especially careful about opening email attachments, as worms can often be spread through email. If you think your computer may be infected with a worm, disconnect it from the internet immediately to prevent the worm from spreading.

3. Spyware

Spyware is a type of virus that is designed to collect information about the victim without their knowledge. Spyware can be used to track a person’s internet usage, steal passwords, and even record keystrokes.

To protect yourself from spyware, be careful about what programs you install on your computer. Only download programs from trusted sources, and be sure to read reviews before installing anything. If you think your computer may be infected with spyware, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

4. Adware

Adware is a type of virus that displays advertising on the victim’s computer. Adware can be annoying and intrusive, and often leads to users accidentally clicking on malicious ads.

To protect yourself from adware, be careful about what programs you install on your computer. Only download programs from trusted sources, and be sure to read reviews before installing anything. If you think your computer may be infected with adware, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

5. Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of virus that will encrypt the victim’s files and demand a ransom be paid in order to decrypt them. Ransomware is often spread through email attachments or malicious websites.

To protect yourself from ransomware, be careful about what programs you install on your computer. Only download programs from trusted sources, and be sure to read reviews before installing anything. If you think your computer may be infected with ransomware, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

6. Rootkits

Rootkits are a type of virus that allows the attacker to gain access to the victim’s computer with full administrator privileges. Once the attacker has access to the victim’s computer, they can do anything they want, including install other malicious programs, steal sensitive information, or delete files.

To protect yourself from rootkits, be careful about what programs you install on your computer. Only download programs from trusted sources, and be sure to read reviews before installing anything. If you think your computer may be infected with a rootkit, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

7. Keyloggers

Keyloggers are a type of virus that records everything the victim types on their keyboard. This information can then be used to steal passwords, sensitive information, or even credit card numbers.

To protect yourself from keyloggers, be careful about what programs you install on your computer. Only download programs from trusted sources, and be sure to read reviews before installing anything. If you think your computer may be infected with a keylogger, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

8. Phishing

Phishing is a type of virus that attempts to trick the victim into giving away sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card numbers. Phishing can be done through email, websites, or even instant messages.

To protect yourself from phishing, be careful about what emails you open and what websites you visit. Do not click on any links or attachments unless you are absolutely sure they are safe. If you think you may have given away sensitive information to a phishing attempt, change your passwords immediately and contact your bank or credit card company.

9. Drive-By Downloads

Drive-by downloads are a type of virus that is automatically downloaded and installed on the victim’s computer when they visit a malicious website. Drive-by downloads can install malware, steal sensitive information, or even hijack the victim’s browser.

To protect yourself from drive-by downloads, be careful about what websites you visit. Avoid clicking on any links or attachments unless you are absolutely sure they are safe. If you think your computer may be infected with a drive-by download, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

10. Rogue Anti-Virus

Rogue anti-virus is a type of virus that pretends to be legitimate anti-virus software in order to trick the user into installing it. Once installed, the rogue anti-virus will scan the victim’s computer and claim that it is infected with malware. It will then ask the victim to pay to have the “infections” removed.

To protect yourself from rogue anti-virus, be very careful about what programs you install on your computer. Only download anti-virus software from trusted sources, and be sure to read reviews before installing anything. If you think your computer may be infected with a rogue anti-virus, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

11. Browser Hijackers

Browser hijackers are a type of virus that will change the victim’s browser settings without their permission. This can include changing the home page, default search engine, or even adding unwanted toolbar. Browser hijackers can also redirect the victim’s browser to malicious websites that can infect the computer with malware.

To protect yourself from browser hijackers, be careful about what programs you install on your computer. Only download programs from trusted sources, and be sure to read reviews before installing anything. If you think your browser settings have been changed without your permission, reset them to the defaults. If you think your computer may be infected with a browser hijacker, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

12. Dialers

Dialers are a type of virus that will change the victim’s internet connection settings in order to connect to a premium rate number. This can often result in the victim’s phone bill being astronomically high.

To protect yourself from dialers, be careful about what programs you install on your computer. Only download programs from trusted sources, and be sure to read reviews before installing anything. If you think your computer may be infected with a dialer, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

13. Fake AV

Fake AV is a type of virus that pretends to be legitimate anti-virus software in order to trick the user into installing it. Once installed, the fake AV will scan the victim’s computer and claim that it is infected with malware. It will then ask the victim to pay to have the “infections” removed.

To protect yourself from fake AV, be very careful about what programs you install on your computer. Only download anti-virus software from trusted sources, and be sure to read reviews before installing anything. If you think your computer may be infected with fake AV, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

14. File Inclusion

File inclusion is a type of virus that allows the attacker to include a file from a remote server onto the victim’s computer. This can be used to install malware, steal sensitive information, or even hijack the victim’s browser.

To protect yourself from file inclusion, be careful about what websites you visit. Avoid clicking on any links or attachments unless you are absolutely sure they are safe. If you think your computer may be infected with file inclusion, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

15. Malicious Scripts

Malicious scripts are a type of virus that is embedded in websites or email attachments. When the victim visits the website or opens the attachment, the script will run and infect the computer with malware.

To protect yourself from malicious scripts, be careful about what websites you visit and what email attachments you open. Do not click on any links or attachments unless you are absolutely sure they are safe. If you think your computer may be infected with a malicious script, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

16. Memory Resident Viruses

Memory resident viruses are a type of virus that loads into the computer’s memory and stays there, even after the victim has rebooted the computer. This allows the virus to infect any programs that are run, as well as any files that are accessed.

To protect yourself from memory resident viruses, be careful about what programs you install on your computer. Only download programs from trusted sources, and be sure to read reviews before installing anything. If you think your computer may be infected with a memory resident virus, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

17. Multi-Stage Viruses

Multi-stage viruses are a type of virus that will infect a computer in multiple stages. The first stage of the virus might be benign, but subsequent stages can be much more dangerous.

To protect yourself from multi-stage viruses, be careful about what programs you install on your computer. Only download programs from trusted sources, and be sure to read reviews before installing anything. If you think your computer may be infected with a multi-stage virus, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

18. Polymorphic Viruses

Polymorphic viruses are a type of virus that will change its code each time it infects a computer. This makes it very difficult for anti-virus software to detect and remove the virus.

To protect yourself from polymorphic viruses, be careful about what programs you install on your computer. Only download programs from trusted sources, and be sure to read reviews before installing anything. If you think your computer may be infected with a polymorphic virus, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

19. macro Viruses

Macro viruses are a type of virus that infects programs that use macros, such as Microsoft Word or Excel. Once a macro virus infects a program, it can spread itself to other files on the same computer. It can also infect other computers if the infected files are shared.

To protect yourself from macro viruses, be careful about what programs you install on your computer. Only download programs from trusted sources, and be sure to read reviews before installing anything. If you think your computer may be infected with a macro virus, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software.

20. boot Sector Viruses

Boot sector viruses are a type of virus that infects the boot sector of a computer’s hard drive. This allows the virus to load itself into memory every time the computer is turned on, infecting any programs that are run.

To protect yourself from boot sector viruses, be careful about what programs you install on your computer. Only download programs from trusted sources, and be sure to read reviews before installing anything. If you think your computer may be infected with a boot sector virus, run a virus scan with your anti-virus software..Visit the site

The 20 most widespread PC viruses

of the last 20 years

As the world becomes more interconnected, the risk of viruses and other malicious software, or malware, spreading increases. While there are many different types of malware, viruses are among the most common and widespread.

A virus is a type of malware that is able to copy itself and spread to other computers. Viruses can spread through a variety of methods, including email attachments, infected websites, and removable media such as USB drives.

Once a virus has infected a computer, it can cause a variety of problems. Some viruses are designed to damage the computers they infect, while others may steal personal information or spam the victim’s contact list.

While there are many different viruses, some are more common than others. Here are 20 of the most widespread PC viruses of the last 20 years:

1. ILOVEYOU

ILOVEYOU is a virus that spread primarily through email attachments in 2000. The virus would email itself to all of the victims’ contacts, tricking them into thinking it was a love letter.

Once opened, the virus would delete important files and send itself to even more contacts. ILOVEYOU caused an estimated $5.5 billion in damages and is considered one of the most destructive viruses of all time.

2. Melissa

Like ILOVEYOU, Melissa was a virus that spread through email attachments. Unlike ILOVEYOU, Melissa did not delete files or damage computers.

Instead, the virus simply overloaded email servers by sending itself to too many people at once. This caused significant delays in email service for many businesses and organizations.

3. Code Red

Code Red was a virus that infecting Microsoft’s Internet Information Server software. The virus would spread to other computers and then launch a denial of service attack against the White House’s website.

While the attack was not particularly effective, it did cause significant concern and drew attention to the vulnerability of web servers.

4. SQL Slammer

SQL Slammer was a virus that exploited a flaw in Microsoft’s SQL Server software. The virus spread quickly and caused a significant amount of traffic on the internet, resulting in slowdowns and outages for many users.

5. Sasser

Sasser was a virus that, like Slammer, exploited a flaw in Microsoft’s Windows operating system. The virus caused infected computers to reboot repeatedly, rendering them unusable.

6. Conficker

Conficker was a virus that spread quickly and infected millions of computers. The virus was designed to steal personal information and give the attacker control of the infected computer.

While Conficker was not particularly destructive, it was difficult to remove and caused a significant amount of disruption.

7. Stuxnet

Stuxnet was a virus that was specifically designed to target industrial control systems. The virus was used to attack Iran’s nuclear facility at Natanz, causing centrifuges to fail.

The attack was the first known instance of malware being used to cause physical damage to equipment.

8. WannaCry

WannaCry was a ransomware virus that spread quickly and caused significant damage. The virus encrypted victims’ files and demanded a ransom be paid in order to decrypt them.

WannaCry caused billions of dollars in damage and infected hundreds of thousands of computers in over 150 countries.

9. NotPetya

NotPetya was a virus that was designed to look like ransomware but was actually destructive malware. The virus encrypted victims’ files but did not provide a way to decrypt them, instead causing irreparable damage.

NotPetya caused billions of dollars in damage and was particularly devastating to the Ukrainian government and businesses.

10. Duqu

Duqu was a virus that was designed to spy on targets for the purpose of industrial espionage. The virus was used to collect information on targets in the energy sector, including nuclear power plants.

11. Flame

Flame was a virus that was developed for the purpose of cyber espionage. The virus was used to collect information on targets in the Middle East, including government agencies and businesses.

12. Gauss

Gauss was a virus that was developed for the purpose of cyber espionage. The virus was used to collect information on targets in the Middle East, including banks.

Gauss was notable for its use of a previously unknown form of malware known as a “Trojan horse”.

13. Red October

Red October was a virus that was developed for the purpose of cyber espionage. The virus was used to collect information on targets in Russia and Eastern Europe, including government agencies and businesses.

14. Duqu 2.0

Duqu 2.0 was a virus that was developed for the purpose of cyber espionage. The virus was a variation of the original Duqu virus and was used to collect information on targets in the Middle East.

15. Equation Group

The Equation Group was a virus that was developed for thepurpose of cyber espionage. The virus was used to collect information on targets around the world, including government agencies and businesses.

The Equation Group was notable for its use of a previously unknown form of malware known as a “zero-day exploit”.

16. Bad Rabbit

Bad Rabbit was a virus that spread through bogus Flash Player updates. The virus encrypted victims’ files and demanded a ransom be paid in order to decrypt them.

Bad Rabbit caused significant disruption, particularly in Russia where it caused a massive traffic jam in Moscow.

17. Petya/NotPetya

Petya/NotPetya was a virus that spread through a compromised software update from a Ukrainian tax software company. The virus encrypted victims’ files and demanded a ransom be paid in order to decrypt them.

NotPetya was notable for its destructive nature, as it rendered many computers unusable. The virus caused billions of dollars in damage and was particularly devastating to the Ukrainian government and businesses.

18. WannaCry 2.0

WannaCry 2.0 was a virus that spread through a compromised software update from a Ukrainian accounting software company. The virus encrypted victims’ files and demanded a ransom be paid in order to decrypt them.

WannaCry 2.0 was notable for its use of a previously unknown form of malware known as a “worm”. This allowed the virus to spread quickly and caused significant damage.

19. KryptoLocker

KryptoLocker was a virus that spread through email attachments and infected websites. The virus encrypted victims’ files and demanded a ransom be paid in order to decrypt them.

While KryptoLocker was not particularly destructive, it did cause significant disruption and was difficult to remove.

20. Locky

Locky was a virus that spread through email attachments and infected websites. The virus encrypted victims’ files and demanded a ransom be paid in order to decrypt them.

Locky was notable for its use of a previously unknown form of malware known as a “ransomware Trojan”. This allowed the virus to spread quickly and causedsignificant damage.

We used malwarezero.org to write this article about most dangerous pc viruses. Visit the site.