Possible damage due to virus infection

Depending on the virus, the damage caused looks very different.

Earlier the main attack target was the disruption of system functions, e.g. by:

• Consumption of system resources such as disk space or line capacity.
• Decreasing system performance
• Modifying or deleting system files

Today the targets are:

• Sending spam messages through your computer
• Encryption and subsequent extortion (“ransomware”)
• Stealthy exploitation of computing power (“crypto-jacking”)
• Integration of your computer into a network for attacks on third parties (e.g. for “denial of service attacks”)

Often, however, it is also a matter of spying on data.

Viruses become dangerous when they sneak in unnoticed and spy on the system and internal network for information for weeks or months, for example. All workstations, with or without management responsibility, can be affected by this as a gateway!

Some Trojans claim through a large image that your computer has been used for illegal purposes. The Federal Criminal Police Office has blocked it and can unblock it again for a “fine”. The only thing that often helps here is to set up the computer completely anew.