A malicious software program (malware) is an application whose developer or sender has malicious intent. While most programs and files that you install or download are completely harmless, some are designed to further hidden agendas, such as destroying your files, stealing your information, or soliciting a payment.
Checklist 046: A Brief History of Malware
Scammers have long used a variety of methods to get malware onto as many computers as possible. The first computer virus, called Elk Cloner, was discovered on a Mac in 1982. In 1986, the first PC-based malware, Brain, was released.
In the late 1980s, the most damaging programs were simple boot sector and file infections distributed via floppy disks. As the adoption and expansion of computer networks continued in the first half of the 1990s, malware became easier to distribute, and its volume increased.
As technologies became standardized, certain types of malware spread. Macro viruses (which spread malware via email attachments) that exploited Microsoft Office products got a distribution boost as email adoption increased. By the mid-1990s, businesses were increasingly being targeted, largely by macro viruses, meaning that the spread was driven by networks.
