COMPUTER VIRUSES, WORMES,
AND TROJAN HORSES
VOCABULARY
Read and learn the words and phrases.
| interchangeable exact damaging attach sth to sth note run capability replicate single devastating respond be named after annoying reproduce sophisticated vulnerability initiate multiple intervention propagate | взаимозаменяемый точный наносящий ущерб прикреплять ч.-л. к ч.-л. замечать пользоваться (комп. программой) способность копировать единственный разрушительный отвечать, реагировать быть названным в честь раздражающий воспроизводить сложный уязвимость начинать, вводить множественный вмешательство распространять |
Match the synonyms from the two columns.
| exact damaging attach note capability replicate single devastating respond sophisticated initiate multiple propagate | ability advanced begin copy destroying distribute harmful join notice numerous only precise react |
3 Choose a, b, or c to complete the sentence.
1 I looked the word up in the dictionary to check the __________ meaning.
| aexact | b be named after | c vulnerability | |
| 2 Nowadays, everybody knows about the __________ effects of pollution. | |||
| a annoying | b damaging | c sophisticated | |
| 3 She __________ a photograph to her letter. | |||
| a attached | b be named after | c run | |
| 4 Did you __________ a virus check this morning? | |||
| a damaging | b interchangeable | c run | |
| 5 She __________ a distinct chill in the air. | |||
| a attach sth to sth | b noted | c vulnerability | |
| 6 Both players have the __________ to win this match. | |||
| a capability | b run | c single | |
| 7 There was a __________ light in the corner of the room. | |||
| a devastating | b propagate | c single | |
| 8 The fire has had a __________ effect on the local wildlife. | |||
| a devastating | b reproduce | c vulnerability | |
| 9 How quickly did the police __________ to the call? | |||
| a annoying | b interchangeable | c respond | |
| 10 Paul was __________ after his grandfather. | |||
| a named | b replicate | c reproduce | |
| 11 The diagram is __________ by permission of the original author. | |||
| a interchangeable | b multiple | c reproduced | |
| 12 It’s a __________ computer system. | |||
| a annoying | b intervention | c sophisticated | |
| 13 The reforms were __________ by Mikhail Gorbachev. | |||
| a initiated | b intervention | c note | |
| 14 We made __________ copies of report. | |||
| a intervention | b multiple | c vulnerability |
Do you remember these verbs from the previous lessons?
| 1 infect 2 share 3 send out 4 destroy | 5 consume 6 transmit 7 cause 8 spread | 9 appear 10 trick 11 install 12 protect |
READING
Read and translate the information about malicious programmes.
Computer Viruses, Worms, and Trojan Horses
The words Trojan horse, worm and virus are often used interchangeably, but they are not exactly the same thing. Viruses, worms and Trojan horses are all malicious programmes (malware). They can cause damage to your computer, but there are differences among the three. Knowing those differences can help you better protect your computer from damaging effects.
A computer virus attaches itself to a programme or file. Then it spreads from one computer to another and leaves infections as it travels. Some viruses can damage your hardware, software or files. It is important to note that a virus cannot spread without a human action. The virus may exist on your computer but it actually cannot infect your computer unless you run or open the malicious programme. People unknowingly continue to spread a computer virus by sharing infected files or send emails with viruses as attachments in the email.
A worm spreads from computer to computer and it can travel without any human action. The biggest danger with a worm is its capability to replicate itself on your system. A single worm can send out hundreds or thousands of copies of itself and create a huge devastating effect. A worm can travel across networks, and the end result in most cases is that the worm consumes too much system memory. It causes Web servers, network servers and individual computers to stop responding.
A Trojan horse is full of as much trickery as the mythological Trojan Horse it was named after. The Trojan horse, at first glance, appears to be useful software but actually does damage once installed or run on your computer. Some Trojans are designed to be annoying like changing your desktop, adding silly active desktop icons. Other Trojan horses can cause serious damage by deleting files and destroying information on your system. Trojans do not reproduce by infecting other files nor do they replicate.
A blended threat is a more sophisticated attack that includes some of the worst aspects of viruses, worms, and Trojan horses into one single threat. Blended threats can use server and internet vulnerabilities to initiate, then transmit and also spread an attack. A blended threat can do multiple malicious acts – basically it can cause damage within several areas of your network at one time. Blended threats are the worst risk to security, as most blended threats require no human intervention to propagate.