Computer viruses become a threat to most computer users. But have you ever wonderedwhere do computer viruses come from“? Perhaps with this knowledge you can enjoy all the benefits of your PC without becoming a victim of viruses.

Behind every virus there is a computer programmer. They create viruses for a variety of reasons. It may be to show skill. They can be enthusiastic students who seek the admiration of their peers. But most of the time viruses are created by cyber criminals. They are designed to steal or copy your personal data for financial gain. It may be to gain access to passwords or credit card details. It may be using your Internet connection without your knowledge for illegal purposes. Or it may just be to bombard you with spam and fake ads.

Therefore, viruses can be simply annoying or can lead to financial ruin. Either way, they are something we all need to stay away from and we can do that by learning a little more about them.

The most common source of virus infection is of course the Internet, this will not come as a surprise, and it also does not mean that you have to stop accessing the Internet. Most people who unknowingly catch viruses from the net do so because they like to click. By this I mean they will click and download anything offered without knowing whether or not they can trust the source.

Here’s a simple tip: Before you click on a link, check its status bar (usually on the bottom left) and see where it’s pointing. Also make sure not to install any programs unless you are sure you know what they are and where they came from.

Email and email attachments are the second most common tool used to spread computer viruses. Email attachments should be handled with great caution and you should not open any attachment that comes with an email from an unknown sender. If you have a good antivirus suite, you will be able to scan attachments before viewing them. Make sure you do this even if it’s from a friend. They may have unknowingly sent you a virus.

Another very common way that the virus spreads is as part of a package with cracks and key generators. These are usually offered on peer-to-peer networks that have illegal file-sharing programs. The victim would be lured with freeware downloads only to discover that she was installing a virus on her own system.

The main thing is not just to have a good antivirus on your computer, it is to keep it updated because new viruses are created all the time. Again, a good antivirus suit will be regularly updated.

Hopefully this has answered the burning question “where do computer viruses come from?”. Just good antivirus software and a bit of common computer sense is all you really need to keep yourself safe from computer viruses.