Viruses were once the top cybersecurity threat across the globe, but is that still the case? What prevalence did viruses once hold, and are they still as dangerous today?
Where Did Computer Viruses Begin?
The history of computer virusesstretches back to the early 1970s. In 1971, a virus known as “Creeper” was developed as an experiment to see how it would act as a malicious program. Because it was a controlled virus, Creeper didn’t reach the outside world.
The first computer virus to infect real-world devices arose in 1982, and was named “Elk Cloner”. This virus was created by a high schooler as a prank among his friends, but existed in the wild and was therefore the first example of a virus “on the loose” (i.e not in a controlled environment).
Elk Cloner stood as the first virus, and its reach ended up stretching far beyond its creator and his friend group. However, it didn’t manage to do much damage due to its limited capabilities. After all, Elk Cloner was designed as a prank and had no way of conducting malicious activities on infected devices.
Others would argue that a program known as “Brain” was the first computer virus in the wild. Brain used floppy disks as an infection vector, and was first seen infecting devices in 1986, four years after the creation of Elk Cloner. Brain used executable code to infect the boot sector of a floppy disk, and then the computer once the disk is inserted. The virus managed to infect over 100,000 computers, an impressive number at the time.
However, Brain didn’t do much other than slow down the performance of disk drives. It wasn’t until the turn of the century that viruses showed their true capabilities.
In 2000, a virus known as “ILOVEYOU” caused havoc when it infected over 10 million Windows PCs.
The virus spread via email, which was incredibly popular even in 2000. Unlike the previous viruses discussed, ILOVEYOU had the ability to delete files on an infected device.
Over the next decade, many more viruses came and went, including Slammer, CodeRed, and MyDoom. MyDoom still stands as the fastest-spreading email virus in history, and still exists today. It was even found being used in a malicious email campaign in 2019, 15 years after its initial use.
But do viruses still pose the same dangers they used to? Where do these programs stand in cybercrime today?
How Dangerous Are Computer Viruses Today?
Though viruses were once the most dangerous form of cyberthreat, this is no longer the case. At the start of the 2010s, the prevalence of computer viruses began to decline, with the last few major virus campaigns including Stuxnet, SpyEye, and W32.Dozer.
After this point, viruses began to shift to something of an afterthought in the cybersecurity field.
The main reason why viruses no longer pose a huge threat is technological advancements. The antivirus programs available to use in the early 2000s were vastly different from those we use now, as time has given way to higher detection rates, additional features, and a better service overall.
Viruses are not incredibly complex programs and are therefore not very large. As is the case in the biological world, viruses need a “host” onto which they can replicate. Because they need to sneak themselves into a program, typical viruses need to be quite small. This doesn’t leave a huge amount of room for extra coding that will give the virus sophisticated abilities.
Additionally, a lot of viruses follow a similar script, meaning they’re often nothing new for antivirus programs. Ransomware, spyware,Trojan horses, and similar malicious software are the most commonly used today and are what truly pose a threat to our computers and smartphones.
These malware programs can be highly sophisticated and are sometimes designed to evade antivirus software altogether. All in all, viruses simply don’t hold a candle to today’s modern malware, which is why they’re not used nearly as much as they once were.
Ransomware, in particular, became a huge cybercrime trend throughout the 2010s. This form of malware encrypts an infected device’s files, and warns victims that the files will only be decrypted if the demanded ransom is paid. Some popular examples of ransomware include WannaCry, LockBit, Jigsaw,and Bad Rabbit.
A lot of ransomware operators get their malicious software fromransomware-as-a-service platforms, wherein ransomware is sold to third-party cybercriminals for a fee. This makes ransomware accessible to less tech-savvy malicious actors, not just seasoned pros.
Evidently, there are more pressing cybersecurity concerns than viruses nowadays. But viruses aren’t totally a thing of the past. As previously mentioned, the once-formidable MyDoom virus was found being used in 2019. In this case, MyDoom was spreading via a phishing email campaign. Though they may be considered basic today, viruses are still in use, and this is very important to keep in mind.
Do You Still Need Antivirus?
The term “antivirus” has evolved in its meaning over the years. While antivirus programs were once made to ward off viruses and viruses alone, they can now detect and delete other kinds of malware.
As you likely know, malware is a global issue that claims thousands of victims every month. In fact, it wasStatistareported that a shocking 560,000 new pieces of malware are detected by cybersecurity teams every day. That’s almost 17 million new pieces discovered every month.
Statista also reportedthat there has been an 87 percent increase in malware attacks over the past decade. These two statistics alone show just how severe the problem of malware has become.
So, you still need an antivirus program to protect your devices from cybercrime.
It’s always best to opt for a highly reputable antivirus program that has proven its usefulness in virus and malware evasion. Installing a random free antivirus app isn’t the wisest avenue to take, as you may be dealing with lackluster protection, or even a malicious program disguising itself as antivirus software.
Some of the top antivirus programs out there include:
If you’re very concerned about cyberattacks, you can useantivirus and antimalwareprograms simultaneously to further increase your security integrity. Antimalware programs can spot and delete more sophisticated kinds of malware, such as those designed to evade antivirus detections.
Viruses Aren’t the Danger They Once Were
Our device’s susceptibility to viruses has greatly decreased over the past decade or so, but there are now other forms of malware that pose a threat to our security. This is why having an antivirus program installed is undeniably paramount.
