Computer Viruses Are Evolving: From Creeper to Quantum-Resistant Malware

Computer viruses have been in existence since almost the invention of computers themselves. These digital troublemakers have developed from simple pranks to true threats over the years.

The first computer virus, which appeared in 1971, was called “Creeper”. It was created on a lark to test whether programs can copy themselves. Creeper was harmless, but later viruses were not so kind.

Viruses began spreading in the 1980s with floppy disks. I remember I got my first-ever computer back then. I became so careful when exchanging disks with friends!

As the internet grew, so did computer viruses.

Early Beginnings

The Creeper and The Reaper Creeper, by Bob Thomas, 1971, was considered the first computer virus. The program circulated through ARPANET, which was the successor to the Internet. As a part of the prank, Creeper displayed: “I’m the creeper, catch me if you can!” Harmless but absolutely revolutionary.

To counter Creeper, Ray Tomlinson created Reaper. It was the first antivirus software. Reaper searched and purged Creeper from infected systems. These two were the first real digital cat and mouse!

First PC Viruses

As the 1980s arrived, personal computers gained popularity and so did PC viruses. In 1982, when he was 15, Rich Skrenta created Elk Cloner for Apple II computers. It spread via floppy disks and displays a poem every 50th boot.

In 1986, the first virus created to target MS-DOS was designed. Brain was created by two brothers in Pakistan who were copying their medical software to protect it from piracy. Their virus infected the boot sector of floppy disks.

Macro and Email Viruses

Macro viruses started spreading in the mid-90s. These infected Microsoft Office files and propagated when people shared documents. Big macro viruses began with the so-called Concept virus of 1995. It infected Word documents but did little damage.

In the late 1990s, email viruses changed from being a nuisance to a big problem, with Melissa. It spread through email attachments and self-replicated, sending itself to the first 50 people in an infected person’s address book. This essentially overwhelmed email servers and caused millions of dollars in damage.

More General Awareness

With the spread of the viruses, the general public became more aware of computer security. Antivirus programs started to be commonly used on home PCs. Viral news stories made “computer virus” a buzzing household word.

The virus of 1992 did spark a lot of media attention: the Michelangelo virus. It was set off on the artist’s birthday: March 6^th, and let people know how dangerous a virus could be.

New companies and experts in antivirus protection started to emerge.

The Rise of Internet Worms

Internet worms revolutionized the game of malware. These ugly pieces of software spread at breakneck speeds through various types of networks, all by themselves. Indeed, one of the big wake-up calls came via a worm called “Melissa” in 1999. It infected Microsoft Office files and subsequently caused big email overloads.

Worms continued to mutate. Early in the 21st century, we were greeted by the he-man monsters of Code Red and SQL Slammer. These guys could put one thousand computers out of commission in under a minute.

Ransomware and Financial Motivation

Money became a huge driver for malware creators. Enter ransomware – the digital equivalent of kidnapping your files. Early ransomware was pretty basic. But then came CryptoLocker in 2013. This very bad guy used strong encryption to really hold files hostage. Suddenly, businesses were losing millions to these attacks.

Things have gotten to the point where some ransomware groups resemble actual businesses. They’re even setting up customer service to help people find a way to pay!

Statistics on Viruses and Malwares

More than 1 billion malware programs have been detected across the world, and ransomware attacks rose 80% in 2023.

TIP: Never pay a ransom; it will just make you a repeat target for hackers.

The average financial damage of a data breach has escalated to $4.35 million in 2022.

In an amusing sort of way, 95% of cybersecurity breaches have been from human error. The most widespread means of virus infection is still email, which accounts for 92% of all cases of malware infections.

The fastest spreading virus in history was the ILOVEYOU back in 2000. In the first 24 hours, the virus managed to infect a typical 10% of all computers online.

Now What? Predictions on Viruses

You can’t help but wonder what the viruses have in store for us in upcoming years!

• AI-powered viruses have already become game-changers. These little bugs learn how to adapt and evolve.
• Internet of Things (IoT) devices are also at risk. Picture having your fridge hacked and ordering 100 pints of ice cream.
• Quantum computing could pose new challenges and opportunities for security. Although some existing security measures might become obsolete due to the rapid processing speeds, this technological advancement could also pave the way for more robust protective strategies.
• Sophisticated ransomware attacks might become more frequent. Critical infrastructures would be targeted, and hackers could even hold cities at ransom.
• Cybercriminals will idealize and commodify biometric data. They might steal or falsify fingerprints, facial scans, and even DNA info.

On the bright side, we might well experience new capabilities in threat detection and response. With the aid of machine learning, viruses could be anticipated far more quickly.

Computer viruses have had a journey that has been nothing short of scary extraordinary. But we aren’t doomed yet. As advanced as the viruses of today are, so are our defenses. AI-driven viruses, vulnerabilities in IoT, and threats posed by quantum computing just scrape the surface of the upcoming challenges. But wonderful opportunities to develop altogether new and improved defenses also exist. In the meantime, if you have any questions or doubts about viruses or malware, drop a message to the people at eMazzanti Technologies. The first appointment for business owners is free.