The Evolution of Computer Viruses

It was possibly the most exciting bit of research related to the world of information technology that I carried out. Reading about the birth and evolution of viruses is akin to reading a fast paced crime fiction book. It has all the ingredients, the good guys, the bad guys, international espionage and incredible guts and gumption of the wrong sort which goes to show how intellect misused can wreak havoc.

Let me share some of my findings about how computer viruses came into being and how they continue to be dreaded the world over. I will begin with a common definition of virus in IT lingo; it is “a computer program that can affect other computer programs by modifying them in such a way as to include a (possibly evolved) copy of itself." Its very nature therefore is sly, stealthy and devious with the sole intent of being destructive.

The first commercial modem was introduced in 1960 and by 1963 a simple international data exchange language was created. In 1964 the first phone-freaks who used “blue-boxes” to make free phone calls were traced. The first multi-tasking operating system UNIX was created in1969. By 1972 it is discovered that a plastic whistle through a blue box could be used to make free calls and manipulate the network. Several discoveries and inventions later came one of the first appearances of the phenomenon that later came to be called virus..

The Brain was a computer virus that was released in 1986 by programmers in Pakistan. In 1988 Robert Morris an infamous hacker released a “worm” that disables 6000 computers by flooding memory banks with copies of itself.

In 1991 Philip Zimmerman released “Pretty Good Privacy”, a free data encryption tool which becomes popular globally. He is accused of breaking encryption laws but is not accused. This is also the time when Symantec released Norton-Anti-virus software.
Windows 1995 the newly introduced operating system did not remain resistant to virus attack. The infamous viruses that gained prominence and wreaked a lot of havoc between the late 1990’s and early 2000 was “Sun Solaris”, “I Love You”, “Melissa” “Anna Kournikova” “The Code Red worm” etc... These were instances of large virus attacks but there have been consistent smaller virus attacks that have been the bane of the common computer user and the answer to anti-virus software companies’ prayers.

Virus Features

A computer virus is a program that can copy itself without authorization or knowledge of a user. As the case may be, the original can modify the copies or the copies may modify themselves. It is not infectious unless it is carried to an uninfected computer over a network or transferred via an infected removable medium. Viruses can also spread from one computer to another by infecting files on a network system. A virus differs from a worm in the way that worms can spread to other computers without being transferred as part of a host where as a Trojan horse is a file that becomes harmful only when executed.

The Internet with its largely unrestricted sharing of data and exchange of e-mail helps virus attacks remain an omni present danger. Viruses differ in nature, where some viruses are designed to damage files while other viruses are designed to replicate. The virus stays active in the background and infects new hosts when those files are accessed by other programs or the operating system itself.

Most viruses are deceptive in nature and are designed to avoid detection. In fact viruses can kill tasks before anti-virus software is loaded to avoid detection. With the increased volumes of data stored and newer viruses on the prowl, anti-virus software has to be constantly updated to keep attacks at bay. It is your quintessential police –robber story where each is trying to keep one step ahead of the other and the potential damage can be extensive.

Detecting Viruses

Large sums of money have been invested in combating the destructive nature of viruses. Anti-virus software professionals study bait files to evaluate detection methods. If viruses do not infect these bait files they can avoid detection.
Professionals need to understand the nature of viruses to come up with solutions. Just when software to protect against most virus patterns is created, along comes a new one that cannot be detected and so on.

Conclusion

One wonders at the minds of virus creators and who these people are. Some virus creators claim to be bored individuals with a great intellect and a need to break away from conformity. Some other hackers are highly paid professionals hired by companies to wreak havoc in rival systems and processes. The world of information technology is cutting edge and action packed where the virus is always lurking around.

Article Source: http://www.rightarticle.com

James Walsh is a freelance writer and copy editor. For more information on computer crime and Computer Forensics see www.fieldsassociates.co.uk

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