Boot Sector Virus
What is Boot Sector Virus?
Boot Sector VirusA virus that infects the boot sector or master boot record of a disk so it runs before the operating system loads.
A boot sector virus replaces or modifies the code in the master boot record (MBR), volume boot record (VBR), or partition table of a storage device. Because this code runs at startup, the virus gains execution before the operating system and can intercept I/O, hide itself, and load additional payloads. Historically these viruses spread via infected floppy disks and later USB drives. Modern equivalents are called bootkits and target MBR/VBR or UEFI boot stages. Defences include Secure Boot, UEFI with measured boot, write protection for boot media, blocking autorun on removable media, full-disk encryption with boot integrity checks, and integrity verification of boot components.
● Examples
- 01
Stoned and Michelangelo, classic MBR viruses spread via floppy disks.
- 02
Petya's MBR overwrite component that prevented Windows from booting.
● Frequently asked questions
What is Boot Sector Virus?
A virus that infects the boot sector or master boot record of a disk so it runs before the operating system loads. It belongs to the Malware category of cybersecurity.
What does Boot Sector Virus mean?
A virus that infects the boot sector or master boot record of a disk so it runs before the operating system loads.
How do you defend against Boot Sector Virus?
Defences for Boot Sector Virus typically combine technical controls and operational practices, as detailed in the full definition above.
What are other names for Boot Sector Virus?
Common alternative names include: MBR virus, VBR virus.