W32/Virut.gen

W32/Virut.gen is a worm that infects and damages files. W32/Virut.gen primarily infects executable files, but it can also infect HTML, PHP, and ASP files. W32/Virut.gen spreads in a way that is typical for a worm, and it spreads onto all kinds of connected drives. This parasite can sometimes exploit the AutoRun feature in current versions of Windows, and cause itself to be installed automatically. On the other hand, in many cases, once the worm is present, some files can get infected just because you open them.

W32/Virut.gen's Behavior

The apparent purpose of W32/Virut.gen is to open a backdoor, and then to communicate through IRC to a botnet controller. Typically, the reason for this seems to be that W32/Virut.gen is an effective vehicle for spreading other malware. W32/Virut.gen can alter your experience browsing the Internet by altering the HOSTS file, and changing which sites you see. In other words, one of the features of W32/Virut.gen is the parasite's ability to hijack your web browser.

W32/Virut.gen is considered a polymorphic virus, since each infection looks different enough from the next that no one would normally suspect they were related. Infections of W32/Virut.gen began to be reported back in at least 2007. However, as is often the case with rogue antivirus software, and useless rogues, there has been a steady stream of infections ever since. This means that it isn't safe to be complacent about W32/Virut.gen.