Showcase for Computer Viruses in New Online Museum

Back in the 80’s and 90’s computer viruses on your computer equaled hours of hand-wringing and dread. However, a few computer-loving individuals decided to showcase some of the ‘fun’ behind computer viruses – by creating an online museum full of them. The Malware Museum, created by Mikko Hypponen of F-Secure and Jason Scott, an archivist for the Internet Archive, showcases several computer viruses of the past, and users can experience a computer virus without all of the ill-effects like corrupted files and blue screens of death. While the average Internet user might think they are actually downloading or looking at a live computer virus, the screen animations are the only “active” part of the virus itself.

What a museum like this can do is help educate: for one, malware, viruses, identity theft, and data breaches are becoming a common theme for many Internet users. Going online is meant to be fun, educational, and ultimately safe; however, it has become a less than safe place in recent times. With new viruses and hackers lurking around every corner, and major advances within the underworld of the World Wide Web, now more than ever “surfing the net” has become a past-time with an associated disclaimer. This museum can help people understand what a virus does, how it attacks, and how to prevent them. It can become a repository with readily accessible information about all computer viruses.

Mentioned previously, the best way to help people is to educate them about proper Internet usage and the potential dangers. Most don’t understand what a computer virus is – other than a big problem – or how one works. If there were a better understanding of a virus’s actions at its very core, we might be able to better protect ourselves. Of course, not everyone is a computer scientist, or programmer, or software engineer, but everyone can learn enough to be able to understand the security issues facing us today.

Right now, the museum showcases 65 MS-DOS viruses such as centipede, ambulance, shifter, and skynet. You can take your tour around the Malware Museum anytime day or night, and there are no fees or charges, just the way it should be!