What are harmless computer viruses?

Harmless computer viruses, often referred to as "benign viruses" or "joke viruses," are designed to cause no harm or damage to a computer system. Unlike malicious viruses that can delete files, steal data, or disrupt system operations, benign viruses are created for educational or entertainment purposes. They may display messages, play sounds, or perform other non-destructive actions.

Here are some examples of harmless computer viruses:

1. Melissa Virus: This macro virus, which spread through Microsoft Word documents in 1999, displayed a harmless message such as "Here is something for you to read" and propagated itself by sending infected documents to contacts in the user's email address book.

2. Happy99: This benign virus, also known as "Birthday" or "GoodTimes," infected Windows systems in 1999. It displayed an animated greeting card on January 1, 1999, wishing the user a happy new year.

3. Valentine Virus: This love-themed virus infected Windows systems in 2000 and displayed a heart-shaped message on February 14, Valentine's Day.

4. W32.Silly.EXE: This harmless virus played a prank by displaying a fake error message and restarting the computer unexpectedly.

5. LoveLetter Virus: Also known as "ILOVEYOU," this benign virus spread via email in 2000. It displayed a love letter-themed message and played "I Love You" by Sarah McLachlan when opened.

6. PingPong Virus: This playful virus infected Windows systems and caused the cursor to move erratically across the screen, simulating a virtual game of ping-pong.

7. Annoying.EXE: This non-destructive virus simply displayed an annoying message on the screen periodically.

It's important to note that while these harmless viruses are not intended to cause harm, they can still create inconvenience or annoyance. Additionally, some benign viruses may unintentionally contain flaws or vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious individuals to create harmful variants. Therefore, it is still recommended to have reliable antivirus software installed to protect against potential threats.