A computer virus is malicious code that

replicates by copying itself to another program, computer boot sector or document and
changes how a computer works. A virus spreads between systems after some type of
human intervention. Viruses replicate by creating their own files on an infected
system, attaching themselves to a legitimate program, infecting a computer’s boot
process or infecting user documents. The virus requires someone to knowingly or
unknowingly spread the infection. In contrast, a computer worm is standalone
programming that does not require human interaction to spread. Viruses and worms
are two examples of malware, a broad category that includes any type of malicious
code.
A virus can be spread when a user opens an email attachment, runs an executable
file, visits an infected website or views an infected website advertisement, known as
malvertising. It can also be spread through infected removable storage devices, such
as Universal Serial Bus (USB) drives. Once a virus has infected the host, it can infect
other system software or resources, modify or disable core functions or applications,
and copy, delete or encrypt data. Some viruses begin replicating as soon as they infect
the host, while other viruses will lie dormant until a specific trigger causes malicious
code to be executed by the device or system.
Many viruses also include evasion or obfuscation capabilities designed to bypass
modern antivirus and antimalware software and other security defenses. The rise of
polymorphic malware development, which can dynamically change its code as it
spreads, has made viruses more difficult to detect and identify.