skip to page content
Pick another story
Basic Story  |  Activities

Computer Virus

photograph from Law and Government story

(before 2003)


A computer is a machine. It handles a lot of information. Many places use computers to help them work better. Someone sent a computer virus to a lot of computers. A computer virus is a set of bad instructions written just to hurt computers.

Someone made the virus and sent it to other computers. It was set to turn on by itself. When it did, many computers around the world began to have problems.

When the virus is turned on, it makes the computer do things it is not supposed to do. Many computers started filling up with a lot of useless information. Several computer projects were in trouble. One project that will have to be stopped has already spent millions of dollars.

People started turning off their computers. Others stopped their computers from being hooked up to other computers. The virus was spread by having computers share information with each other. Once in the computer, it takes over and tells the computer to do harmful things.

The FBI will try to find who or what has caused this virus to be spread.

Macromedia Flash Player site requirements