A brief history of computer viruses
Computer viruses have been around almost as long as personal computers. Early viruses were often spread by floppy disk, and occasionally by email. Today, however, the internet has made it possible for viruses to spread much more quickly and easily.
The first recorded virus was the so-called “Creeper virus”, which appeared in the early 1970s. Creeper was not malicious; its purpose was simply to display the message “I’m the creeper, catch me if you can!” Once it infected a system, it would spread to other connected systems.
One of the first malicious viruses was the “Elk Cloner”, which appeared in 1981. Elk Cloner spread by infecting floppy disks; when an infected disk was inserted into a computer, the virus would copy itself to the computer’s memory. Elk Cloner was notable for being the first virus to spread itself via the newly-invented personal computer floppy disk.
The 1980s saw the rise of the “boot sector virus”, which spread by infecting the boot sector of floppy disks and hard drives. These viruses were difficult to remove, as they would often overwrite the boot sector, making it impossible to boot the affected computer.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, viruses began to spread via email attachments. The first major email virus was the “Melissa” virus, which appeared in 1999. Melissa spread itself by emailing itself to the first 50 people in the infected user’s address book.
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw the rise of the “file-sharing” virus, which spread by infecting files that were shared on peer-to-peer networks. The most famous of these viruses was the “Napster” virus, which appeared in 2000 and infected the popular file-sharing program of the same name.
In the mid-2000s, a new type of virus began to spread: the “Trojan horse”. Trojans are not technically viruses, as they do not self-replicate. However, they are often used to spread viruses or spyware, or to allow remote access to a computer.
The most famous Trojan horse virus is “Banking Trojans”, which are used to steal sensitive financial information. Banking Trojans are typically spread via email attachments or malicious websites.
Today, viruses are still a major problem. In 2010, the “Stuxnet” virus was discovered, which is believed to have been used to sabotage Iranian nuclear facilities. In 2012, the “Flashback” virus infected over 600,000 Mac computers.
Viruses will likely continue to be a major problem in the future. As long as there are computers, there will be viruses..Resource
How to prevent computer viruses
Most people know that computer viruses are bad and can do all sorts of damage to your computer, from deleting all your files to stealing your personal information. But what many people don’t know is how to prevent computer viruses in the first place.
Here are some tips to help you avoid getting a virus:
1. Keep your operating system and software up to date
One of the best ways to prevent viruses is to make sure your operating system and all the software you use is up to date. Software developers often release updates that include security fixes for newly discovered vulnerabilities that could be exploited by viruses. So, by keeping your software up to date, you’re also keeping your computer more secure.
2. Use antivirus software
Antivirus software is designed to detect and remove viruses from your computer. There are many different antivirus programs available, both free and paid. If you choose to use a paid program, make sure to keep it up to date so it can protect you against the latest threats.
3. Be careful what you download and install
One of the most common ways viruses are spread is by downloading infected files or installing infected software. So, it’s important to be careful about what you download and install on your computer. If you’re not sure whether a file or program is safe, don’t download or install it.
4. Don’t click on links or open attachments in email messages from people you don’t know
Another common way viruses are spread is through email attachments and links. Many viruses are spread by people who send out email messages with infected attachments or links to infected websites. So, if you receive an email message from someone you don’t know with an attachment or a link, don’t open it.
5. Be careful about what you do online
There are many scams and malicious websites on the internet that can infect your computer with a virus. So, it’s important to be careful about what you do online. Don’t click on links from people you don’t know and be careful about what websites you visit.
Following these tips can help you avoid getting a virus, but it’s important to remember that no approach is 100% effective. Even if you take all the precautions, there’s still a chance you could end up with a virus. But, by taking some simple steps to protect your computer, you can greatly reduce the risk.
We used malwarezero.org to write this article about computer viruses. Click for source.