Since the first nefarious self-copying code appeared in 1986 computer virus have been causing computers and devices sick. Some of them could brick your devices, while others slow down or steal your data. But in most cases you can remove a virus from your device if you act fast.

A virus is a part or program that, like as a flu-like virus, can reproduce itself by attaching to programs and files and infecting them. Then, it creates copies of itself. When a virus is infected by a program, it spreads to other devices and programs attached to the same network. These viruses can cause all sorts of damage. They can take credit cards and passwords, delete data, corrupt programs, or even take over your entire system.

Depending on the kind of virus, it may be spread from one device to another through text and attachments to emails, Internet file downloads, or social media scams. The virus can also infect smartphones and mobile devices by hiding in shady application downloads. Certain viruses have a playful nature and are designed to bring laughter while others are created to generate money.

In most countries, generating and propagating computer viruses is considered a crime. If you're interested, you can learn how to create a simple virus using Notepad and other tools. This is not for the faint of heart but it's an enjoyable way to test out your programming skills. You'll need to decide what the virus will do after it has infected the system. This could be anything from displaying a message to deleting or corrupting data and spamming your friends' contact lists.