I was wondering when my virus program catches a file that's supposedly infected with a virus (most of these are false negatives), is it possible for this virus to become active even if I do not open the file? For example unless the file is quarantined or locked by my virus program, Windows still loads its icon when I open the directory it's in and I can copy the file to another location. Would doing these harm my system in any way?
Does a computer virus become active even if I don't open the file?
- Thread starter ancalimon
- Start date
Users who are viewing this thread
Trevty said:
There is nothing wrong with the computer. It's just that I have a collection of infected files which I run inside a secure virtual machine. I was wondering if they would effect my main operating system simply bu Windows Explorer listing them or loding their icons. I never run them inside my main Windows OS.
Trevty said:
I'm asking if a file is listed inside a folder inside Windows without me opening it, would it be possible for the virus to do harm. My virus program locks the file and won't allow Windows to even load its icon or click and choose the file unless I add it to an exception list. If my Virus program do not lock the file, is it possible for this virus to execute and spread on its own when Windows simply lists the file and loads its icon?
Kevlar
Baron
Your virus program probably places the exe of whatever virus you're talking about and puts it into a quarantine folder. Basically it won't run since you haven't made it an exclusion and it also can't run since it is most likely missing other pieces of the program to work (dll files or config files etc).
Of course there are always new virus' coming out that exploit security holes so you could have a virus running without your virus scanner catching it. I find it hard to actually get a virus unless you are actually looking to get one and run every program you download and click on 'free offers' you won.
Worked at a pc shop for just under two years and most people simply got trojans or maleware which is usually harmless and just makes your computer slower. Very few times did people even have a virus when they thought they did.
Of course there are always new virus' coming out that exploit security holes so you could have a virus running without your virus scanner catching it. I find it hard to actually get a virus unless you are actually looking to get one and run every program you download and click on 'free offers' you won.
Worked at a pc shop for just under two years and most people simply got trojans or maleware which is usually harmless and just makes your computer slower. Very few times did people even have a virus when they thought they did.
No matter what virus you get it has to get an opportunity to launch. This means you have to either tell it to, or the OS has to start it.
Don't launch executables/installers/anything unless you know what's inside. Some web apps also have the ability to modify your computer's files, but I would imagine browsers would ask for permission first.
Push comes to shove the best thing to do if you think you have a virus is go straight to the nuclear option - wipe&reinstall OS.
Don't launch executables/installers/anything unless you know what's inside. Some web apps also have the ability to modify your computer's files, but I would imagine browsers would ask for permission first.
Push comes to shove the best thing to do if you think you have a virus is go straight to the nuclear option - wipe&reinstall OS.
Kevlar said:
When my virus program (F-Secure. I strongly recommend it after trying almost all professional virus programs out there) sometimes quarantines or locks (not even show its icon or allow me to do any action on it) files which I don not want it to. For example an exe file. I know it has a virus in it and I am not running it. I just lift the quarantine - lock from it and copy it into my Windows XP Virtual Machine to run it inside that Virtual Machine. After it has infected the Virtual machine I restore the uninfected Virtual Machine. What I wonder is: Is it possible for the virus inside that file to infect my Windows7 even if I never open that file. Would it infect simply by Windows Explorer listing the file and loading its icon inside the folder? Or if I copy the file to another location or archive it?
Splintert said:
Thanks for your answer. I also thought it is not possible but I just wanted someone's opinion to feel more secure.
I lately got a virus from a legit program called jdownloader. It installed some programs on its own which were caught by F-Secure and cleaned but I guess they did their damage and my Windows became very unstable. Formatting was the only option.
Here are the Virustotal results. When you open the links in the "detected files" section, you can see that it's actually detected by more anti-viruses than the first page shows because of the updates since the logs were created.ancalimon said:
EDIT: Actually looked at the link. Possible Jdownloader got hacked or injected with the malware?
A lot of seemingly "legit" programs that may or may not do the job actually install malware even if you uncheck the option.
Similar threads
