Definition
An overwriting virus is a type of malware that changes the content of infected files by overwriting them with its own malicious code. Unfortunately, this makes it almost impossible to recover the original data. This is why data backups are essential to protect sensitive information.
Examples of Overwriting Viruses
- Yankee Doodle virus: It spread in the early 1990s and targeted .com files, overwriting their contents. Its signature trait was playing a “Yankee Doodle” tune.
- Way virus: It emerged in early DOS systems, infecting and modifying EXE files using its own code. It damaged files and made them unrecoverable.
- Trivial.88.D virus: This virus infected .com files by replacing their content with its code, making them unusable.