2 replies to this topic

[Neon]

The first known computer virus, the Elk Cloner, is 25 years old. Since its appearance we have seen hundreds of thousands of malicious programs and their impact on our computer use has been immense.

Millions of people have lost work, had their private information stolen or simply had to waste precious hours cleaning up their computers after infection.

A small number of companies have grown rich on the sales of anti-virus software, while organised crime is believed to commission many of today's viruses as a money-making venture, selling services to spammers or using them to blackmail websites.

That first virus was specific to the Apple II computer and spread by inserting itself into the operating system files that were installed on every boot floppy, since this was in the days before hard drives in personal computers and few of us had network connections.

Slipped disk

Those halcyon days when you only had to remember to scan every floppy disk for infection are long gone, of course.

Now the broadband internet connection that keeps me always online leaves me always vulnerable, and regular virus scans are the order of the day.

And viruses are only one of the ways that malicious software spreads. Worms and Trojans are just as dangerous, and often harder to protect against.

These days Apple users are almost unbearably smug when the subject turns to malware. I was invited to appear on Radio Four's You and Yours this week to talk about viruses and other malware and our focus was on issues with Windows since it is the most commonly used operating system.

After the show we got dozens of e-mails from complacent Mac users pointing out that they were safe and suggesting that people simply abandon Windows if they want to be secure.

Mac OS may not have the gaping holes that let viruses spread, but worms, spyware and even keyloggers are out there.

[m.oreilly]

Quote

worms, spyware and even keyloggers are out there.

great. thanks "neon". now i'll have to sleep with the lights on tonight

[atsaunier]

got to get use the the "neon"