What Is Malware? | Malware History

Malware, short for malicious software, is a type of software designed to gain unauthorized access to a computer system and steal or damage confidential data. Cybercriminals and other malicious actors frequently use distinct types of malwares to achieve their goals. It is important to be aware of the different types of malwares and how to protect against them in order to keep your system and data safe.

Ransomware

This type of malware encrypts and restricts access to data on a victim’s computer or organization and demands a ransom in exchange for access to the encrypted data. Many companies that pay the ransom face a second attack.

Rootkits

These are types of software that allow attackers to gain administrator-level access to a system and remain undetected.

Backdoors

This type of malware creates a way for authorized and unauthorized users to bypass normal security measures and gain high-level access to a system.

Trojans

A Trojan is a type of malicious software that appears legitimate. It is often bundled with other tools and can be difficult to detect, as attackers often try to hide it within legitimate programs.

Remote Administration Tools (RATs)

Attackers use rats to infect a victim’s device and gain full control of it remotely. With access to the system, the attacker can easily access files, activate the camera, and collect browser data such as credentials and cookies.

Spyware

This is malicious software that is used to spy on a device and exfiltrate data without the user’s knowledge or consent.

Adware

Adware is a type of malicious advertisement that includes code and a graphical interface to trick users into accessing their system.

Keyloggers

A keylogger is software or hardware that records keystrokes made on a keyboard and stores them in a file or sends them over the internet.

Worms

These are self-replicating software programs that can spread viruses or exploit vulnerabilities in software or services on a large network.

First Viruses

In 1949, mathematician John von Neumann theorized about the concept of self-replicating computer programs, which would later be known as computer viruses or worms. However, it wasn’t until 22 years later that Bob Thomas designed the first actual “Creeper worm” program. This program was able to replicate itself within computer networks and create a programming language called “PDP-10 Assembly.

1980s-1990s

The first viruses were created in the late 1980s and early 1990s, following the development of IBM PCs with x86 processors and DOS operating systems. These viruses were spread primarily through floppy disks and other removable media devices. The viruses that were created during this time period were mostly harmless and merely served as proof-of-concept experiments designed to demonstrate the potential dangers of computer viruses.

The Rise of Trojan Horses: 2000-2010

In the early 2000s, malware began to evolve significantly with the emergence of trojan horses (also known as “trojans”). Unlike traditional viruses which simply replicated themselves onto other computers, trojans are designed to stay hidden on a computer system while performing malicious activities such as stealing data or installing additional malware onto the target system without the user’s knowledge or consent. This marked a major shift in how cybercriminals carried out their attacks; rather than relying on users unknowingly spreading malicious code through email attachments or infected media devices, they could now infiltrate systems remotely without any user interaction whatsoever.

Today’s Advanced Threats: 2010 – Present

In recent years, malware has continued to evolve at an alarming rate with more sophisticated forms of attack coming into play such as ransomware and cryptojacking tools. Ransomware is a form of malicious software that encrypts files on a victim’s computer until a ransom is paid for their release; if victims don’t pay up then their files will remain encrypted forever. Cryptojacking tools are designed to use victims’ computing power to mine cryptocurrency for cybercriminals without their knowledge or consent. Additionally, there has been an increase in targeted attacks against specific organizations particularly those in healthcare and finance which leverage advanced techniques such as zero-day exploits in order to compromise networks and exfiltrate sensitive data from them.

Conclusion

Malware has come a long way since its inception in the late 1980s. What was once seen as harmless proof-of-concept experiments have now evolved into sophisticated threats capable of wreaking havoc on corporate networks worldwide if left unchecked. As technology continues to advance at an ever-increasing pace so too will malware continue to become more powerful and advanced organizations need to ensure that they are staying one step ahead by implementing comprehensive cybersecurity solutions capable of detecting and stopping advanced threats before it’s too late!