Biological viruses enter the body through some kind of direct contact with the body and attach themselves to a host cell. The virus spreads, and the resulting damage can include pain, suffering, or even death. Similarly, computer viruses enter a host file in your computer when you open an infected email attachment. This virus then spreads, resulting in damage that can include deletion of files, emailing of all the addresses in the computer’s email address book, a slowing down of the system, or even fatal damage to the hard drive.