On a technical level, a computer virus is an unauthorized independent program containing malicious code that reproduces and attaches itself to operating systems, programs, and files thereby corrupting them. Thousands of different viruses have been identified. Each type poses a different threat to the integrity and availability of your computer and the data stored in it. Viruses can be written by anyone, anywhere in the world, with programming skills that think writing a virus accomplishes something. The cost to undo the damage caused by computer viruses is staggering.
Viruses affect everything from corporate mainframes and networks to computers in our homes.
Despite advances in defensive measures, viruses continue to pose a major threat to computer systems and data. Viruses have potentially two phases to their execution, the infection phase and the attack phase. When the virus executes it will infect other programs. Yeshiva University has recently purchased updated anti-virus software to further strengthen its defense against viruses. The MIS Department will begin installing this software on administrative and academic computers during the fourth quarter of this year.