Keygen vs Virus: Difference and Comparison

Software is the new weapon and the new defense of the new world because the whole of the world is dependent upon technology for so many day-to-day things. But with all the ease comes new problems every day.

Keygen and viruses are two such issues attached with certain software. They both are considered intruders but still differ on so many grounds.  

Key Takeaways

  1. Keygens are tools used to generate serial keys for software activation, used to bypass licensing requirements.
  2. Viruses are malicious software designed to cause harm to computer systems or steal sensitive data.
  3. Keygens can sometimes contain viruses, making them risky and potentially damaging users’ systems.

Keygen vs Virus 

Keygen is a program that generates a unique product key for software installation. A virus is a malicious program that infects a computer and can cause damage. Keygens are legal tools that are used to activate paid software, while viruses are illegal and can cause harm to the computer.

Keygen vs Virus

A keygen basically happens to be an abbreviation for a key generator and simply provides a key for the software. However, depending on the manufacturing and purpose, it can both be a legal one and an illegal one.

If the company that has made the software produces a keygen for it, it attracts no such issues, but sometimes in the black market, alternative keygen is generated for some software programs.  

But on the other hand, a virus in itself happens to be another computer program but not a very legitimate one rather a very illegitimate one that is used to destroy or infiltrate other programs with a very bad and destructive intention.

However, there are many programs or anti-virus remedies that are now present to deal with such kinds of cyber threats. 

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison Keygen Virus  
Meaning  Refers to a program used to get into a particular software Refers to a computer program that contains harmful instructions for any device and infects it. 
Purpose  Used to activate the series of codes of a program. Used to infect the program with wrong and harmful commands.  
Types  Depending on the source of generation, it can either be a legitimate one or an illegitimate one. It is always an illegal one. 
Complete name  Key generator  No such name is available  
Interconnection  It is used as a transportation means for a virus. It transports itself in a program using a keygen. 

What is Keygen? 

In terms of software application, a Keygen basically refers to a computer program known as a key generator. A key generator can be understood in terms of being a key but to a different lock called software.

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Whenever any key is generated about the licensing of software, it checks everything up on the server before logging in to the software and thus allows at most security to the user of the software as well as the manufacturer of the software.  

Whenever any such key is generated by the company that has made the software, it is called a legitimate one and happens to be really useful.

But whenever such keys are generated in the black market through third-party applications, it happens to be more harmful to the software and somehow infiltrates the system with malicious viruses and harmful elements.  

A very common characteristic attached to a key generator is that it operates as a transportation device for a virus, and by using a key generator, many people inject viruses into many software programs. 

What is Virus? 

As compared to a key generator, a virus happens to be a very infamous element in the world of computers and technology as it has shown real-life terrors to certain people using certain software programs and devices.

In terms of the computer world, alright, it can be defined as basically being a computer program that is made to infiltrate the coding system of another software program to generate alternative results and not the actual ones that are supposed to be generated.  

A virus alters the codes of a system, somehow puts the wrong codes in the place of the right ones, and infiltrates the system with a negative purpose.

The purpose of creating a virus plays a crucial role in determining its characteristics as the makers of a virus happen to intend the destruction or alteration of a computer program as opposed to the public policy or due procedure of law. 

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In order to reach the software programs, a virus uses a key generator as a means of transportation.

Certain illegal key generators are created by the makers of the virus, and whenever these key generators are applied to software programs, the virus automatically gets injected into the software.

However, these days, technology has reached a zenith and has detected many remedies against these viruses. 

virus

Main Differences Between Keygen and Virus 

  1. Keygen is a computer program used to access a software program, while on the other hand, Virus he’s basically another computer program with a malicious intention. 
  2. Keygen is also known as a key generator, while on the other hand, Virus has no such name. 
  3. Keygen can be a legal one or an illegal one depending upon the source of generation, while on the other hand, a Virus always happens to be in an illegal element. 
  4. Keygen is used to make transportation of a virus inside a software program, while on the other hand, Virus in itself happens to be a harmful program. 
  5. Keygen is used to activate certain codes that are necessary to access a software program, while on the other hand, Virus is used to infiltrate a software program and change the codes or provide any harm to the software program. 

References  

  1. https://www.publish.csiro.au/bt/BT9720331 
  2. https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.5555/1074100.1074905  

Last Updated : 13 July, 2023

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