Malicious software – or computer viruses

Computer code, Photo: pixabay

Computer viruses are more or less a thing of the past – malicious software is abundant

Computer viruses are more or less a thing of the past. Most people install software that prevents computer viruses from affecting your computer. Actually almost all potential viruses have as a matter of fact been produced by the anti-virus companies many years ago to make sure that you are protected against them. Malicious software is therefore mostly distributed by e-mail.

 

People are however gullible, and will open e-mail attachments indiscriminately. Ever since Microsoft’s decision to default file viewing to ‘hide extension of known file types’, the producers of malicious software has had a field day.

The best example is still the so-called ‘I Love you’ virus that was hidden as “I Love You.txt” hiding the executable .vbs extension.

‘I Love You’ is as is the case with the current ransom software WannaCry was not a Virus.

For some unfathomable reason people still choose to open attachments in e-mails without even thinking, maybe it is time to revise the legislation to include criminal negligence regarding electronic messages?

Admittal

I, as did most of the founders of anti-virus companies, admit to have created computer viruses. But I never spread them. I did however plug the original hole that Microsoft left when launched their DOS with my own verification code.

As a curiosity I have a friend who stored 13 boot viruses on a diskette, and forgot all about it one day he was in a hurry.

Update

The Data attack that infected the IT systems worldwide Friday, affected 200,000 victims in over 150 countries, says the head of Europol.

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