The dormant phase of a computer virus is a period of inactivity where the virus exists on a system but doesn't actively replicate, spread, or cause harm.
During this phase, the virus is essentially "sleeping," awaiting a specific trigger or condition to activate it. This trigger could be a particular date, a certain number of program executions, or a specific user action. Until that trigger occurs, the virus remains hidden and undetectable by many antivirus programs.
Here's a breakdown of the key characteristics of the dormant phase:
- Inactivity: The virus does not replicate or spread to other files or systems.
- Concealment: The virus attempts to remain hidden to avoid detection.
- Trigger Dependency: The virus awaits a predefined trigger to initiate its active phase.
- Non-Malicious Activity (Initially): During this phase, the virus does not perform any overt malicious actions, such as deleting files or corrupting data. This makes it harder to detect.
Think of it like a landmine – it's present but won't detonate until someone steps on it. The dormant phase is crucial for a virus's success because it allows the virus to spread more effectively by delaying its detection and allowing it to infect more systems. Once activated, the virus enters other phases like propagation, triggering, and execution, where it actively replicates, spreads, and carries out its intended malicious actions.
