What is the purpose of armored viruses?

The primary purpose of armored viruses is to confuse programs or individuals analyzing them. By employing various techniques to obscure their code and behavior, armored viruses make it difficult for security software and analysts to identify their true intentions. This confusion can involve using sophisticated obfuscation techniques, encryption, or employing deception tactics that lead the analysis down misleading paths.

This complexity is designed to hinder diagnosis, thwart detection efforts, and prolong the life of the virus within a system. By making it challenging to dissect the virus, it increases the chances that it will remain undetected, effectively allowing it to spread or execute its harmful payload without immediate repercussions.

While other options suggest functionality related to performance or corruption, those are not the core characteristics or intentions behind armored viruses. The main focus is on creating barriers to analysis and detection, thus supporting the concept of confusion as a primary defense mechanism for the virus.