Antimalware Day: Genesis of viruses… and computer defense
techniques
techniques
SINGAPORE,
3 November 2017 – On November 3,
1983, Frederick Cohen, a student at the engineering school of the University of
Southern California (USC), was sure that a malicious program could be used to
exploit any connected system, but he wondered how long it would take for the
code to do so.
3 November 2017 – On November 3,
1983, Frederick Cohen, a student at the engineering school of the University of
Southern California (USC), was sure that a malicious program could be used to
exploit any connected system, but he wondered how long it would take for the
code to do so.
He prepared a prototype that – after eight hours of hard work on
a VAX 11/750 system running Unix – was ready to be shown at the weekly security
seminar he attended. It was his lecturer, Leonard Adleman, who baptized that
program as a computer virus.
a VAX 11/750 system running Unix – was ready to be shown at the weekly security
seminar he attended. It was his lecturer, Leonard Adleman, who baptized that
program as a computer virus.
“I was in Len Adleman’s information security class at USC when
the proverbial light bulb turned on. I immediately knew that a virus could
penetrate, and be used to exploit any connected general-purpose system. The
only question was how quickly”, said Dr. Cohen in an exclusive interview.
the proverbial light bulb turned on. I immediately knew that a virus could
penetrate, and be used to exploit any connected general-purpose system. The
only question was how quickly”, said Dr. Cohen in an exclusive interview.
His experiments marked a turning point: the first computer virus
was born. That day also marked the first day in the fight against malware. A
battle that ESET and other companies, as well as experts around the world, have
been fighting over the last few decades.
was born. That day also marked the first day in the fight against malware. A
battle that ESET and other companies, as well as experts around the world, have
been fighting over the last few decades.
To honor the work of Dr. Cohen and Prof. Adleman, and the
foundations they laid for research of computer threats, we decided to declare
November 3 as the first ever Antimalware Day. We hope to make this date a day
we will celebrate worldwide each year, a day that will help reinforce the
importance of antimalware in a world where computers can now fit into our
hands.
foundations they laid for research of computer threats, we decided to declare
November 3 as the first ever Antimalware Day. We hope to make this date a day
we will celebrate worldwide each year, a day that will help reinforce the
importance of antimalware in a world where computers can now fit into our
hands.
This is a date that we invite you to become a part of, and help
spread the message with us. To join this cause you just have to look for the
content that we will post this week here at WeLiveSecurity, and on our social networks
under the hashtag #AntimalwareDay.
spread the message with us. To join this cause you just have to look for the
content that we will post this week here at WeLiveSecurity, and on our social networks
under the hashtag #AntimalwareDay.
We will begin the celebration by telling you why November 3,
1983, was such a decisive date and what the findings made back then mean today.
1983, was such a decisive date and what the findings made back then mean today.
The experiments that made history
In eight hours, Dr. Cohen had developed a program that was capable of
spreading to all users of the system and obtaining control of its data and
privileges. He did several experiments, and the code took between 5 and 30
minutes to take control of and gain total access to the computer it infected.
spreading to all users of the system and obtaining control of its data and
privileges. He did several experiments, and the code took between 5 and 30
minutes to take control of and gain total access to the computer it infected.
Fred Cohen created one of the first computer
viruses.
viruses.
Once Prof. Adleman identified that behavior with the concept of
a computer virus (tomorrow we will tell
you all the details of how he came up with that name!), some questions
materialized: what else could be done with these programs, and how dangerous
were they?
a computer virus (tomorrow we will tell
you all the details of how he came up with that name!), some questions
materialized: what else could be done with these programs, and how dangerous
were they?
The conclusions to which Dr. Cohen arrived thanks to his
experiments, sound similar to the answers you receive today: “None of the
countermeasures examined appear to offer ideal solutions”, he documented in 1984.
experiments, sound similar to the answers you receive today: “None of the
countermeasures examined appear to offer ideal solutions”, he documented in 1984.
It is a response that is often mentioned about current
protective technologies: none of them are enough on their own. In
addition, in order for systems to allow sharing, there must be some information
flow, and that was in “direct opposition to the goals of viral security”.
protective technologies: none of them are enough on their own. In
addition, in order for systems to allow sharing, there must be some information
flow, and that was in “direct opposition to the goals of viral security”.
The infamous cat and mouse game we usually talk about was set at
that moment: whenever the industry develops a new protective measure,
cybercriminals search the way to bypass it. But to Dr. Cohen this is a matter
of choice: you don’t have to suffer the risks if you don’t want the rewards of
modern technology.
that moment: whenever the industry develops a new protective measure,
cybercriminals search the way to bypass it. But to Dr. Cohen this is a matter
of choice: you don’t have to suffer the risks if you don’t want the rewards of
modern technology.
“As a result of information technology, we live longer, better,
easier, happier, etc. lives than ever before. And things on the whole seem to
be getting better. So far, the rewards seem to be worth the risks. But if we
don’t learn to deal with the cyberwarfare issues, we may not continue to find
it that way”, said Dr. Cohen.
easier, happier, etc. lives than ever before. And things on the whole seem to
be getting better. So far, the rewards seem to be worth the risks. But if we
don’t learn to deal with the cyberwarfare issues, we may not continue to find
it that way”, said Dr. Cohen.
According to him, we live our relationship with technology under
a “fail and fix” approach. “We wait for pain and then spend resources to
alleviate it. The strength of fail and fix is that if nothing noticeable fails,
you don’t spend any resources fixing. The weakness is that lots of things fail,
it may take you a long time to detect the failures (if you ever do), and the
cost of fix far exceeds the cost of proactive efforts”, he explained.
a “fail and fix” approach. “We wait for pain and then spend resources to
alleviate it. The strength of fail and fix is that if nothing noticeable fails,
you don’t spend any resources fixing. The weakness is that lots of things fail,
it may take you a long time to detect the failures (if you ever do), and the
cost of fix far exceeds the cost of proactive efforts”, he explained.
Naturally, this modus operandi rules many other aspects of human
nature: “We also don’t generally do preventive medicine well – rather we wait
to get sick then go to the doctor”.
nature: “We also don’t generally do preventive medicine well – rather we wait
to get sick then go to the doctor”.
There’s still room for hope
Prof. Adleman, who played a key role in the creation and naming
of this first computer virus, stated: “What we can do is the best we can do,
our best try. And that’s what antiviral companies are doing. You might just as
well ask what do we do about infectious diseases that attack our bodies, and we
do the best we can: we make vaccines, antibiotics, antiviral medications… But
these are evolving things out there, so we have to keep doing our best”.
of this first computer virus, stated: “What we can do is the best we can do,
our best try. And that’s what antiviral companies are doing. You might just as
well ask what do we do about infectious diseases that attack our bodies, and we
do the best we can: we make vaccines, antibiotics, antiviral medications… But
these are evolving things out there, so we have to keep doing our best”.
We might never reach perfection. There will be failures and
successes, and we might never win this cat and mouse game, but it is up to us
to make our best effort to contribute to the cause.
successes, and we might never win this cat and mouse game, but it is up to us
to make our best effort to contribute to the cause.
At ESET, we are dedicated to researching and raising awareness
so that users can use technology in a safer way, and we dedicate this new
Antimalware Day in the hope that we can open the conversation on this important
topic.
so that users can use technology in a safer way, and we dedicate this new
Antimalware Day in the hope that we can open the conversation on this important
topic.
User education will never cease to be an obligation, or a
necessity. We need to understand the technology behind the threats we talk
about every day, understand the psychological aspects behind the attacks, and
avoid blaming the victims, because the failures that result in successful
attacks involve many other factors.
necessity. We need to understand the technology behind the threats we talk
about every day, understand the psychological aspects behind the attacks, and
avoid blaming the victims, because the failures that result in successful
attacks involve many other factors.
The fact that cybercrime will continue to exist and perfect its
capabilities is a reality; the question is how are we going to face this
reality. Dr. Cohen agrees with us that there is still room for optimism:
information technology can solve more problems than it creates, we just need to
focus on using it to that end.
capabilities is a reality; the question is how are we going to face this
reality. Dr. Cohen agrees with us that there is still room for optimism:
information technology can solve more problems than it creates, we just need to
focus on using it to that end.
What can you do to celebrate Antimalware Day?
The first step is to be informed and know how threats work and
how to protect yourself from them; we invite you to be a part of the
antimalware mission, by accessing research, news and opinions from the ESET security experts. This way you can also
share your knowledge to help your contacts, friends and family protect
themselves.
how to protect yourself from them; we invite you to be a part of the
antimalware mission, by accessing research, news and opinions from the ESET security experts. This way you can also
share your knowledge to help your contacts, friends and family protect
themselves.
You could also consider a career in information security or
related STEM fields; check out this beginner’s guide to starting in InfoSec and
find out where you belong.
related STEM fields; check out this beginner’s guide to starting in InfoSec and
find out where you belong.
Stay tuned for more stories about the origins of computer
defense techniques and our mission for Antimalware Day, declared November 3 from now
on. Tomorrow, we will publish an
exclusive interview with Professor. Len Adleman, where he will walk us through
that faithful day when the first computer virus was made, how he came up with
the term, and what happened afterwards.
defense techniques and our mission for Antimalware Day, declared November 3 from now
on. Tomorrow, we will publish an
exclusive interview with Professor. Len Adleman, where he will walk us through
that faithful day when the first computer virus was made, how he came up with
the term, and what happened afterwards.
Happy Antimalware Day!
About ESET
For 30 years, ESET® has been developing industry-leading IT security software and
services for businesses and consumers worldwide. With solutions ranging
from endpoint and mobile security, to encryption and two-factor authentication,
ESET’s high-performing, easy-to-use products give consumers and businesses the
peace of mind to enjoy the full potential of their technology. ESET
unobtrusively protects and monitors 24/7, updating defenses in real-time to
keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. Evolving threats
require an evolving IT security company. Backed by R&D centers worldwide,
ESET becomes the first IT security company to earn 100 Virus Bulletin VB100 awards, identifying every single “in-the-wild” malware
without interruption since 2003. For more information visit www.eset.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
services for businesses and consumers worldwide. With solutions ranging
from endpoint and mobile security, to encryption and two-factor authentication,
ESET’s high-performing, easy-to-use products give consumers and businesses the
peace of mind to enjoy the full potential of their technology. ESET
unobtrusively protects and monitors 24/7, updating defenses in real-time to
keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. Evolving threats
require an evolving IT security company. Backed by R&D centers worldwide,
ESET becomes the first IT security company to earn 100 Virus Bulletin VB100 awards, identifying every single “in-the-wild” malware
without interruption since 2003. For more information visit www.eset.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
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