What is the basic purpose of computer virus?

Answer 1

Computer Viruses are used by hackers for several reasons. Some viruses created as a way of showing off to peers or getting a job. "Hackers" will use viruses as a way of getting to attention of a software developer or security firms. They will create a virus that exploit a bug as a way of getting attentions.

Other viruses are used to gain personal wealth. Viruses will take control of a computer in such a way to exploit digital ads or affiliate programs.

In resent years viruses have been used for cyber warfare. Computers infected with malware are used to send bogus data to government servers in order to make them fail. This was used during the January 2011 revolution in Egypt as a way of slowing down the police.

Answer 2

A computer virus is used for a variety of tasks, many of them considered to be illegal or of bad practise. Generally, it is used to gain control of another persons computer and either cripple it for easy access by the virus's creator, or to simply destroy the computer itself to become a nuisance to the recipient. It works in a similar way to a biological virus, in that it attaches itself to a file and infects it, so that whenever that file is run on a computer the virus is executed, and performs whatever task it was designed to do. The term virus can cover quite a few variants of malware, but other names differ depending on the malware's function. Some others include worms, trojans and spyware.

Answer 3

To massage the ego of the perpetrator. Like graffiti or vandalism.

Along the lines of the following:-

Look at me,

See what I can do,

Aren't I clever?,

I have more power than you,

You can't do anything about it.

Originally they could have had a use for revenge, by disgruntled programmers. Once the client or employer had what they wanted, they felt free to dismiss the programmer.

They (the programmer) could then get in via a back door and trash their system.

Answer 4

The first computer viruses were first made as somewhat of a hobby. The main point would have been to have some fun.