Difference between virus and spyware

Virus vs spyware

Virus and spyware are the malicious programs or applications which infect computers around the world.Difference between virus and spyware lies in the difference of their behaviour.

Virus:-

Virus (or more preciously computer virus) are the malicious code which intentionally will enter into computers for destroying the system, files, and any programs that resides  in the computers. The virus will attach itself to files or boot sectors in order to replicate itself.The user is unaware of the problem and spreads the virus to others.

Spyware:-

Spyware are also the malicious code which that covertly gathers user information through the user's Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes.the spyware monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else.

computer viruses was created either as experiments or as practical jokes of computer geeks.but now days its a big business of wrong people.With the evolution of Internet, virus spread more rapidly.Viruses comes in many form like worms and Trojans and are spread to promote businesses by redirecting web pages, pop-up advertisements etc.There are many anti-virus program available in the market which prevent and cure viruses form computer.

Virus consume all the resource in terms of memory(RAM) and processor; they eventually makes the system crash.Virus sticks to boot program and replicate itself to infect all the files of the system as well as can also spread over the network.They can also through thumb drive,external carrier which can attach to a system through USB or any other medium.

 

Spyware steals information from the user and send  back to the spyware's home base via the user's Internet connection who will either use it for advertising/marketing purposes or sell the information to another party. Spyware have the ability to monitor keystrokes, scan files on the hard drive, snoop other applications, such as chat programs or word processors, install other spyware programs, read cookies, change the default home page on the Web browser etc.

Difference between virus and spyware(virus vs spyware):-

1. Virus have the sole purpose of destroying the resource of a computer whereas spyware sole purpose is only of stealing information from the user.

2. Viruses consume  system resource only where as spyware can also consume bandwidth of the Internet connection and can upload and download without user permission.

3.Virus was discovered long time back whereas spyware born with Internet evolution.

4.Viruses can destruct your  software and some time hardware also,whereas spyware steal your information and does not impact in your software and hardware.