Malware - The Choice of Spies Everywhere

AP journalist Charmaine Noronha reported that a cyber spy network based mainly in China hacked into classified documents from government and private organizations in 103 countries, including the computers of Tibetan exiles. The spies gained information using malware, virus software they installed on the compromised computers that allowed the spies to send and receive data from them. The Internet-based research group Warfare Monitor uncovered that the spies even hacked the Dalai Lama.

Happy Birthday Melissa
And by the way, March 26th was the tenth birthday of the email virus Melissa, the first virus of its kind, estimated to have infected more than one million PCs and caused damage in excess of $80 million. According to Steve Ragan author of "Malware then and now", Melissa arrived via e-mail within an attachment, a DOC file that was supposed to contain porn-related passwords. When opened by the recipient, a Macro would trigger causing the DOC to e-mail itself to 50 more people from the victim's address book. The panic that ensued caused Microsoft Corporation to shut down its e-mail servers in an effort to prevent the virus from spreading. Photo: Getty Images

• History of Computer Viruses
• Full Story - Researchers Uncover Cyber Spy Network
• Full Story - Happy 10th Bday, Email Virus!
• The Melissa Virus