<p>This Master’s Thesis within the area computer security concerns ”Computer viruses: The threat today and the expected future”. </p><p>Firstly, the definitions of computer virus and the related threats are presented; Secondly, current situation of computer viruses are discussed, the working and spreading mechanisms of computer viruses are reviewed in details, simplistic attitude of computer world in computer virus defence is analyzed; Thirdly, today’s influencing factors for near future computer virus epidemics are explained, then it further predicts new possible types of computer viruses in the near future; Furthermore, currently available anti-virus technologies are analyzed concerning both advantages and disadvantages; Finally, new promising trends in computer virus defence are explored in details.</p>

This Master’s Thesis within the area computer security concerns ”Computer viruses: The threat today and the expected future”. Firstly, the definitions of computer virus and the related threats are presented; Secondly, current situation of computer viruses are discussed, the working and spreading mechanisms of computer viruses are reviewed in details, simplistic attitude of computer world in computer virus defence is analyzed; Thirdly, today’s influencing factors for near future computer virus epidemics are explained, then it further predicts new possible types of computer viruses in the near future; Furthermore, currently available anti-virus technologies are analyzed concerning both advantages and disadvantages; Finally, new promising trends in computer virus defence are explored in details.