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Macro virus
A type of computer virus that is encoded as a macro embedded in a document.
Many applications, such as Microsoft Word and Excel, support powerful macro
languages.
These applications allow you to embed a macro in a document, and have the
macro execute each time the document is opened.
Mail client
An e-mail client is an application that enables you to send and receive e-mail.
Memory
Internal storage areas in the computer. The term memory identifies data storage
that comes in the form of chips, and the word storage is used for memory that
exists on tapes or disks. Every computer comes with a certain amount of physical
memory, usually referred to as main memory or RAM.
Non-heuristic
This method of scanning relies on specific virus signatures. The advantage of the
non-heuristic scan is that it is not fooled by what might seem to be a virus, and
does not generate false alarms.
Packed programs
A file in a compression format. Many operating systems and applications contain
commands that enable you to pack a file so that it takes up less memory. For
example, suppose you have a text file containing ten consecutive space
characters. Normally, this would require ten bytes of storage.
However, a program that packs files would replace the space characters by a
special space-series character followed by the number of spaces being replaced.
In this case, the ten spaces would require only two bytes. This is just one packing
technique - there are many more.
Path
The exact directions to a file ona computer. These directions are usually described
by means of the hierarchical filing system from the top down.
The routebetween any twopoints, such as thecommunications channel between
two computers.
Polymorphic virus
A virus that changes its form with each file it infects. Since they have no consistent
binary pattern, such viruses are hard to identify.
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Glossary