Computer Viruses

According to section 43(c) of the IT Act

If any person without permission of the owner or any other person who is in charge of a computer, computer system or computer network –

(c) introduces or causes to be introduced any computer containment or computer virus into any computer, computer system or computer network;

..............he shall be liable to pay damages by way of compensation not exceeding one crore rupees to the person so affected.

This section penalises two acts namely:

1.??????Introducing a virus or containment into a computer,

2.??????Causing the introduction of a virus or containment into a computer

These acts maybe directed towards a computer, a computer system or computer network.

Let us discuss the important terms:

Computer virus means any computer instruction, information, data or programme that

1.??????Destroys, damages, degrades or adversely affects the performance of a computer resource or

2.??????Attaches itself to another computer?resource and operates when a programme, data, or instruction is executed or some other event takes place in that computer resource.

Illustration 1

The Love Bug virus comes as an attachment to an email with the subject “I Love You”.?When a victim clicks on the attachment, the virus overwrites all files on the victim’s computer with junk data thereby destroying and damaging all the data.

Illustration 2

Macro viruses usually come embedded in Microsoft Word and Excel files.?When a user runs the infected file, the macro virus gets activated and damages his data.

Illustration 3

The Chernobyl virus can lie dormant for the entire year in a victim’s computer.?Most versions of the virus get activated only on April 26th.?The virus which was originally called CIH is referred to as the Chernobyl virus because it attacks on April 26th which is the date when the Chernobyl nuclear accident took place in Ukraine in 1986.

Computer Containment means any set of computer instructions that are designed to

(i).?modify, destroy, record, transmit data or programme residing within a computer, or

(ii).?usurp the normal operation of the computer.

Illustration (i)

Arjun sends an online greeting card to Revathy.?The greeting card is an image file that is infected with a “Computer Trojan”.?When Revathy clicks on the greeting card to view it, the Trojan gets installed on her computer.?The Trojan usurps the functioning of Revathy’s computer.?It gives complete control of the computer to Arjun.?He can now remotely alter files on Revathy’s computer.?This is an example of a computer containment.

Illustration (ii)

Arjun installs a key logger on a cyber cafe computer.?The key logger automatically records all text entered on the infected computer by users.?Every evening at 5 pm the key logger transmits this recorded data to Arjun’s email account.?This is an example of a computer containment.