1. A computer virus is a malicious piece of code or program designed to cause havoc by damaging or corrupting files, stealing data, or performing other undesirable actions. It can spread to other computers via email attachments, downloaded files, peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, and other means.
2. Ransomware is a type of computer virus that encrypts a victim’s data and demands a payment in exchange for the decryption key. It usually spreads in the same way as other computer viruses, but it has the added benefit of being able to generate money for the perpetrator.
3. The main difference between a computer virus and ransomware is that the latter is malicious software specifically designed to extort money from its victims. A computer virus may cause damage to a computer but does not necessarily require a ransom payment in order to unlock the computer and restore the data.