What is Boot Sector Virus?

Understanding Boot Sector Virus

A boot sector virus is a form of malware that specifically targets the boot records of storage devices, such as the master boot record (MBR) or volume boot record (VBR). It embeds malicious code in these critical areas, ensuring that it is executed before the operating system loads. This early activation allows the virus to bypass many standard security measures. Although modern security enhancements have reduced the frequency of these infections, boot sector viruses remain a significant threat—they can serve as an entry point for additional malware, compromise sensitive data, or even prevent a system from booting properly.