Polymorphic viruses mutate when they replicate, making them difficult to detect with ordinary antivirus software. They require more complex algorithms to identify distinctive patterns. The first known polymorphic virus was developed in 1990. Polymorphic viruses can operate in different ways, making them difficult to block. They can remain undetected even with anti-virus software in place, making them a serious problem.
A polymorphic virus is a computer virus that mutates itself when it replicates, making it more difficult to identify with ordinary antivirus software. To find such viruses effectively, antivirus software must have more complex algorithms that help it identify distinctive patterns that can betray the presence of a virus even when the code behind the virus is not known to the software. Such software tends to be more expensive, reflecting the extra effort required during development and updates to get the software working.
The first known polymorphic virus was developed in 1990, in the early days of the Internet, proving that virus creators have always been at the forefront when it came to developing malicious code. These viruses operate with the assistance of an encryption engine that changes with each virus replication; this keeps the encrypted virus functional, while still hiding the virus from the computer it infects and allowing the virus to slip through security systems designed to prevent malicious code from entering or leaving a network.
Essentially, virus writers have integrated a trait associated with viruses that infect humans into the design of their software, which is designed to infect computers. Human viruses are famous for being able to mutate rapidly to avoid detection and prevent immunity buildup, and when a computer virus has a similar trait, the results can be unpleasant for computer users. It can be difficult to mount an adequate defense against a polymorphic virus, even with excellent antivirus software designed to attempt to detect such viruses.
Polymorphic viruses can operate in different ways. Some mutate with each infection, making the virus extremely difficult to track. Others change with each generation. The rate of mutation is also highly variable. Some viruses mutate more slowly, which can make them easier to catch, while others change very rapidly. All of these variations, taken together, make these viruses very different, which adds to the challenge of blocking them.
Polymorphic virus infection can be a serious problem. While all computer viruses are designed to remain undetected for as long as possible so that they can achieve maximum damage and increase their chances of infecting other computers, a polymorphic virus can remain undetected even on a system with anti-virus software in place. deed. People can also be lulled into thinking that their system is clean because they have such software and they update it regularly.
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