A computer virus is a type of program that, like a regular virus, attaches itself to a host with the intention of replicating and spreading the infection. Computer viruses can be created by anyone with the right skills, from individuals to large organizations, and can infect computers, smartphones, tablets, and even smart cars.
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The term "computer virus" is often misused as an umbrella term for any suspicious program, plugin, or code that infects software, computers, and files. This misuse of the term likely stems from its familiarity to the general population due to its frequent use in television shows and movies such as the Star Trek and Terminator franchises.
In reality, the proper collective name for such malicious software is malware. The category of computer viruses is just one type of it.
Computer viruses are basically a type of malware that installs itself on a device and replicates itself.