Virus: Simply Downloading An Infecting File

**slick nick** · 07-10-2003, 06:12 AM

I'm curious is the simple act of downloading the infected file enough for it to spread or is it when you open a zip, exe, jpg, etc?

**adamp2p** · 07-10-2003, 06:22 AM

Hardwareworld? Huh?

**slick nick** · 07-10-2003, 06:31 AM

it infects your drives no? it's not a software issue or kazaa related. This is the right place for it.

**ilw** · 07-10-2003, 07:26 AM

Its software i think. But the file would have to run on your computer to do anything.

**Cl1mh4224rd** · 07-10-2003, 07:29 AM

Yes, you need to execute the infected file for the virus to spread.

Point of clarification, though... "infected" image files can not replicate on their own, just by opening them. For a virus to be spread through an image, you need to already have the "infector" running on your system. The "infector" is an executable just like any other virus. If you don't have this running, and you view an "infected" image, it'll just look really crappy.

**S7r3etR4c3r** · 07-10-2003, 07:50 AM

Wrong, I have had Norton pop up and say I have a virus as soon as Ive started to download something

**I.am** · 07-10-2003, 07:56 AM

Originally posted by S7r3etR4c3r@10 July 2003 - 02:50
Wrong, I have had Norton pop up and say I have a virus as soon as Ive started to download something

Nope he is right. Norton and other good virus scanners like McAfee check inside the exe file for viruses, trojans etc. Just downloading them doesnt mean the virus is spread. You have to run the file to have the actual program to run which in this case is a virus.