  BullGuard Security Centre    Essential virus information - how
a virus works   Your guide to how a virus works to compromise
your computers safety   The word “virus” is often used as a
common term for all malicious programs, but technically a virus
is a program or code that attaches itself to a legitimate,
executable piece of software, and then reproduces itself when
that program is run. Viruses spread by reproducing and inserting
themselves into programs, documents, or e-mail attachments. They
can be transmitted through e-mails or downloaded files and they
can be present on CDs, DVDs, USB-drives and any other sort of
digital media.   A virus normally requires an action to infect a
victim. For instance, the malicious programs inside e-mail
attachments usually only strike if you open them. The effect of
a virus can be anything from a simple prank that pops up
messages to the complete destruction of programs and data.
Viruses before and now  Almost one third of internet users in
the European Union caught a