Viruses, Analyzed in 1989

Computing has evolved remarkably in recent years, but this does not apply only to the good things computers have to offer. Viruses have also evolved, even expanding beyond the classic territory of PCs to attack mobile devices and other platforms that in the past were not considered a priority target.

Even so, in 1989 the “criminal potential” of viruses had already been recognized, as well as the need to actively defend against the operations of any malicious code, not only with the help of specific software, but also with certain stronger codes of conduct among users.

As we have had occasion to mention in the past, the computer virus is nothing new. The first ones were simple jokes or proof of concept, but as access to hardware became easier and computers ceased to be an exclusive luxury of companies and corporations, the profile of viruses began to change.

The 1980s gave us two viruses that, although identified under the same category, had very different intentions.

The Computer Chronicles: Viruses in 1989

Jerusalem has been considered the first virus with malicious intentions, since its behavior could threaten the final performance of the computer. In the case of Stoned, the initial versions requested the legalization of marijuana.

Beyond what was in the developer's mind, viruses began to form a dark shadow over the computing world, and their relevance became such that they became a topic of conversation in publications of the time and television programs like The Computer Chronicles, which you can see below.

Beyond the language limitation of the video, this episode shows an example of a virus modifying the executables of a WordStar installation, and the detection of a contemporary antivirus program called Flu Shot Plus.

A point of irony arises when they mention that the original Flu Shot had been infected by a virus, hence the 'Plus' in the name. In any case, they also talk about the different 'categories' of malicious programs, such as viruses, worms, and the so-called 'Trojan horses', and the absence of 'access controls' to provide greater security in systems.

This episode ends especially with the myth that “no antivirus is needed for Macintosh”, since it shows a software called Virex detecting and purging the famous Scores virus for Mac.

Virex worked in a way very similar to today's antivirus, using detection of patterns of known viruses. The other program, called Empower, offered access control and encryption for Mac, limiting write access to certain folders, thus preventing the spread of the virus.

The way Empower assigns privileges reminds us greatly of the current security and privileges scheme we see in Windows.

One thing has changed, and I must say a lot. In that episode, a certain 'hysteria' about viruses is mentioned, highlighting that most user reports in which users thought a virus was involved turned out to be incorrect.

Now it is different. As I write these words, new malware variants are born with the aim of stealing personal information, credit card numbers, and other elements that could seriously harm a user.

To close, we discover that a “false sense of security” is warned about that an antivirus can transmit, since they are not perfect (they were not then, they are not now) and that the recommendations to have a much more secure system in 1989 remain, in essence, the same as today, which shows that there are many people out there who seem to ignore the message.

You must make periodic backups, you must know where each copy of software you install on your computer comes from, you must suspect everything that does not have a declared origin, from pendrives to emails, and you must assume that you are the first and last line of defense on your computer.

Personally, I recommend watching the whole video. It is only half an hour long, and the news section at the end will probably steal a smile or two. It talks about 'flash memories', the battle between Atari and Nintendo, and some 'novelties' from Microsoft.