Technology has come a long way from the days when users had to deal with issues such as settings of email servers for ISPs, installing MSN for Win98 and requesting invites to Orkut.

Today, it’s all about social networks, P2 P software and SIP Telephony, and more. The journey has also given us an insight into the most pressing problems that users have faced evolving and battling with the learning curve that new technologies have brought.

And so, on the 40th anniversary of the virus, marking the inception of the 'Creeper'—the world's first virus developed in 1971—and as a tribute to Brain, the first virus to hit computers running a Microsoft Corp. operating system (DOS), we highlight our encounters against some of the worst and most memorable malware that hit Pakistan.

Happy 99

Among the earliest malware Pakistan ever encountered was the Happy99 worm which first appeared in 1999. Worldwide, it’s been termed the first modern worm since it provided the template on which later malware were created.

Thankfully, the only thing it did when the user executed the file was to display fireworks to the user and wished the user a happy New Year. However, later it would invisibly attach itself to all emails sent out. Email being limited then, most of us would catch the bug while transferring files from a floppy.

I love you

This was another very successful malware which appeared in 2000. Spread via email attachment this ‘love bug’ exploited human nature and tricked recipients into opening it by disguising itself as a love letter. It would then search out files such as music and documents and over-write them, while propagating through the net. Worldwide it caused more than five billions in damages.

Hotbar and New.Net

As the internet became more popular, one of the biggest debacle it faced was the 180 search assistant ‘Hotbar’ in 2005 and the alternate DNS Root System New.Net. Google’s IPO in 2004 led many companies to try and hijack the search and display advertising system. Among others, the 180 solutions company’s Hotbar which would get downloaded when trying to get ‘Smileys’ for the IM software (mostly MSN) caused untold grief to the users.

New.net, on the other hand, was the plugin for internet explorer that ended up blocking the user’s internet, and was downloaded with one of our most favourite virtual characters, ‘Bonzi buddy’. Brontok.A

File sharing among users became far more common as technology became more accessible and one of the earliest viruses that took advantage of this was the Brontok.A. This virus created .exe files in folders usually named as the folder itself (documentsdocuments.exe). This was also an example of what would later be termed Hacktivism.

This was a particularly frustrating virus since it would blank out an address typed into Windows Explorer, and using its own mailing engine, it would send itself to email addresses it would find on the computer. It would even fake the user's email address as the sender and, worst still, the computer would restart when trying to open the Command Prompt in Windows or when downloading files.

Zlob

Come 2006 and with the growing bandwidth in Pakistan at increasingly lower prices, Zlob which was also known as Trojan.Zlob, became the favourite virus. Zlob was a trojan horse which masqueraded as a required video codec in the form of ActiveX. Downloading videos from P2P networks and various free video sharing sites resulted in the Trojan becoming very active.

The sophistication of the virus hasn’t gone down. The latest ones now target social networks. One called Koobface spreads by pretending to be a user on a social network, prompting friends to download an update to their Flash player in order to view a video. The update is a copy of the virus.

Another work of beauty is the Stuxnet which, according to most threat researchers today, only governments have the necessary resources to design and implement a virus of such complexity. To spread, Stuxnet exploited several critical vulnerabilities in Windows, which, until then, were unknown, including one guaranteeing its execution when inserting an infected USB key into the target system, even if the system’s autorun capabilities were disabled. Its target is to destroy or neutralise an industrial system such as a nuclear facility.

The next target for cybercriminals will possibly be smart phones. Their widespread use and the fact that they incorporate a payment system (premium rate phone numbers) make them easy money-generating targets. They also have a localisation system, a microphone, embedded GPS and one (or several) cameras, which potentially allow a particularly invasive spying of their owners.

From a mere academic pursuit, the virus is now a political espionage, cyber-warfare and a tool of theft and destruction. The creeper's message was, "I'm the creeper, catch me if you can!" which it displayed on those screens 40 years ago

Today the message is still as valid as ever.