Which virus type combines both boot sector and program viruses?

The multipartite virus combines characteristics of both boot sector viruses and program viruses, making it a versatile and complex threat. This type of virus can infect a system in multiple ways: it can reside in the boot sector of a hard drive, allowing it to execute upon system startup, while also being capable of infecting executable files and programs. This dual capability makes multipartite viruses particularly challenging to detect and remove because they can propagate via different vectors.

Understanding the various types of viruses helps in implementing effective countermeasures for cybersecurity. The other virus types mentioned each have distinct characteristics; however, they do not combine the features of both boot sector and program viruses in the way that multipartite viruses do. For example, stealth viruses focus on evading detection by employing techniques to hide from antivirus tools, and polymorphic viruses change their code with each infection to evade signature-based detection. Encrypted viruses use encryption to conceal their payload, but they do not combine multiple infection techniques like a multipartite virus does.