Can an Xbox 360 get a virus?

Answer 1

Surprisingly, the answer is yes, although it would be extremely rare as the only ways to get content on the 360 is through Xbox LIVE, a third party game developer (which Microsoft has tight control over anyway) or passing an infected file via usb key (such as transfering photos and music to the xbox360). Video game consoles, such as the PS3 and the Xbox 360, are essentially computers built for a specific purpose, Video Games. These machines contain system boards, processors, ram, hard drives, and video cards. There is one major difference that would make it very unlikely for a console to be infected, and that is the OS (operating system). It would be very difficult to create a virus that would be able to work in a gaming consoles OS. It isn't impossible, but it is EXTREMELY unlikely. Even if there was a virus created to infect a system like Microsoft's Xbox 360, it would be almost impossible to spread as Xbox Lives network would detect it. The other factor is it would be a waste of time for someone to create a virus that could only be spread via usb sticks for gaming consoles.