However, no one is celebrating this event, as they understand that they may receive warnings about another new virus as soon as tomorrow. It’s truly a headache; if only a “disaster” hadn’t occurred 20 years ago…
Four Phases of Viruses
In 1986, a software company in Pakistan created a program to protect their newly launched software. However, contrary to its original intention, this program ended up destroying data on every computer it was installed on.
This program was distributed on floppy disks, self-replicating and spreading through computers while destroying data. It would then return to infect other floppy disks when inserted into a computer. This “destructive program” was known as the Brain computer virus. It was the first wild computer virus in the world, also referred to as “Pakistan Flu” at the time.
Since it relied on floppy disks as a “carrier,” the Brain virus gradually became extinct as floppy disks fell out of use. Following the Brain virus was the super virus, which thrived from 1995 to 1999. While the Brain virus could only spread from one computer to another via infected floppy disks, the super virus hid within Word documents and similar formats. When an infected document was sent to another machine, that machine would immediately contract the super virus. However, the spread of the super virus took a long time, often weeks or months.
By 1999, as the Internet truly began to flourish globally, the first email worm named Love Bugs emerged. Evolving beyond the super virus, Love Bugs could spread and devastate servers within hours. The growth of the Internet, along with the emergence of small local networks, created fertile ground for virus development. In 2001, the first network worm called Blaster was introduced. It automatically infiltrated any Windows-based computer that did not have adequate protection.
Today, the major threats in the online world come from Trojans. Not only do Trojans destroy data on servers, but they are also designed to infiltrate computers to steal personal information and data such as account numbers. Moreover, computers infected with Trojans can be completely controlled by hackers!
Increasingly Dangerous
Currently, there are about 150,000 viruses, worms, and Trojans worldwide that pose a risk to computers. Despite numerous warnings and continuous updates to antivirus software, the damage caused by computer viruses is immense.
The FBI recently released figures indicating that in the past year, 84% of companies in the United States have been attacked by various viruses. The total damage to these companies reached $67.2 billion, not counting personal home computers. According to statistics from China, up to 80% of computers in the country are infected with viruses. In the UK, it is estimated that people spend around £3 billion annually to clear home computers of viruses. Forecasts for 2006 suggest that the number of attacked computers will increase compared to the previous year.
Looking back at the development of computer viruses, it is evident that the purpose behind writing viruses has changed significantly. Mikko Hypponen, head of research at Finnish antivirus company F-Secure, emphasizes, “The most important aspect of the evolution of computer viruses is the purpose behind their creation. Initially, it was just for fun. Today, it is for profit.”
From Mr. Hypponen’s remarks, it is clear that viruses will continue to evolve and become even more dangerous in the future, and they will not be limited to computers alone. Mobile phones may also become fertile ground for virus proliferation!
KINH LUÂN
