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What Is a Source Code Virus?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

A source code virus is a computer virus that attacks source code to corrupt it in some way. It may render a program or operating system unusable, hijack a machine for a given purpose, or generate errors on the system. Viruses of this nature are relatively rare, but can be found in the wild and are sometimes difficult to combat because source code is often not human readable and thus can be hard to repair.

Source code provides the underpinning of programs, applications, and operating systems. Viruses themselves are programs or fragments of code that infect computers, usually with a malicious purpose like service disruption or compromise of confidential material in mind. In the case of a source code virus, the virus attacks the source code of one or more computer components, rather than running as its own program.

A user may contract a source code virus through a variety of means.
A user may contract a source code virus through a variety of means.

Programmers need a reasonable level of skill to develop a source code virus because they have to be able to alter source code. This requires knowledge of programming languages and the ways they can be manipulated to accomplish various goals, like making it impossible to boot up an operating system. Virus designers may look for programs with vulnerable source code, which requires being able to review and understand the raw code behind various computer programs. Some programmers rely on virus fabrication kits or code posted by more experienced programmers to build their viruses.

A source code virus is a computer virus that attacks source code to corrupt it in some way.
A source code virus is a computer virus that attacks source code to corrupt it in some way.

The user may contract a source code virus through a variety of means. When viruses enter linked networks, they can spread to other computers in the system as well. This can result in the destruction of an entire network and hours of work on the part of technicians to find and eradicate the virus. In this case, technicians need to take out the source code virus and repair the damage left behind, if possible. This may require a fresh installation to eliminate the contaminated source code.

A source code virus can render a computer operating system unusable, or hijack a computer for a specific purpose.
A source code virus can render a computer operating system unusable, or hijack a computer for a specific purpose.

Antivirus companies regularly peruse the Internet for emerging viruses and take advantage of reports from users to build up a library of known viruses and ways to fight them. Users can limit the risk of viral infection by maintaining such software and keeping it running at all times. It is important for the software to be up to date, as some viruses mutate quickly, and new versions are constantly released. A user with an outdated virus library may be vulnerable to a new virus that could wreak considerable damage.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a EasyTechJunkie researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a EasyTechJunkie researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

Pippinwhite

My husband ran into a ransomware virus from a visit to Reddit. So beware that site! He got this window that said the FBI had locked the computer because he was viewing kiddie porn which was, of course, preposterous. The computer was completely locked, but I was able to restart it in safe mode and looked online for a solution.

The best thing we found to do was to do a system restore. Fortunately, there was a restore point set the day before, so we went to that point. I had to do it in a DOS sort of command in safe mode, but it worked!

Then we ran every antivirus program on the face of the earth along with malware programs. After that, I had one of my tech head buddies go in and find every trace of it and delete it. What a pain in the neck! He said the ransomware virus was a type of source code, which is what made it so hard to defeat. It was a mess.

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    • A user may contract a source code virus through a variety of means.
      By: jamdesign
      A user may contract a source code virus through a variety of means.
    • A source code virus is a computer virus that attacks source code to corrupt it in some way.
      By: il-fede
      A source code virus is a computer virus that attacks source code to corrupt it in some way.
    • A source code virus can render a computer operating system unusable, or hijack a computer for a specific purpose.
      By: Peter Atkins
      A source code virus can render a computer operating system unusable, or hijack a computer for a specific purpose.