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The files in James's computer were found spreading within the device without any human action. As an engineer, you were requested to identify the problem and help James resolve it. During file code inspection, you noticed that certain types of files in the computer have similar codes. You found that the problem is coming from a set of codes that are not part of the actual files, appended at the bottom of the file. You also noticed a transfer control code written at the beginning of the files giving control to the code at the bottom of the file. Which type of infection is this a characteristic of?

User Jrovegno
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Final answer:

The problem described is indicative of a computer virus infection, which is a type of malware that replicates by modifying other programs. To resolve the issue, one should use antivirus software to remove the infection or restore from a clean backup.

Step-by-step explanation:

The symptoms and code patterns you're describing point to a classic case of a computer virus infection. A computer virus is a type of malicious software (malware) that replicates itself by modifying other computer programs and inserting its own code. When it finds a suitable host file, it will append its code to the end of the file and modify the start of the file to ensure the viral code is executed, often before the legitimate code.

Viruses can spread without human intervention after they have infected the first system. This can occur through network connections, email attachments, or infected removable drives. Based on your inspection, the transfer control code at the beginning acts as a trigger to execute the viral code at the end, which subsequently facilitates the spread of the virus to other files or systems.

To resolve the issue, you would typically use antivirus software to scan and remove the infected files or restore from a clean backup. It's also important to update the antivirus software regularly to prevent future infections from newly emerged viruses. In severe cases, it may be necessary to perform a full system wipe and reinstall the operating system.

User Maximkou
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