The Evolution of Cyber Threats: From Viruses to Advanced Persistent Threats
Introduction Cyber threats have changed a great deal since the early days of computing. Once, the biggest worry was simple computer viruses that spread through diskettes or email attachments. Those early threats caused damage to files or slowed down computers. Today the threat landscape has become far more complex. Modern cyberattacks often target large organizations, governments and individuals with sophisticated tools designed for long term infiltration, data theft and system sabotage. Understanding how cyber threats have evolved helps individuals and organizations stay alert and protected in a constantly changing digital world. Early Days: Viruses and Simple Malware In the early evolution of cyber threats malicious software was quite basic. Computer viruses, worms and trojans were programmed to replicate themselves and spread from one machine to another. Their main aim was either to corrupt files, delete data or crash systems. Such infections often spread through r...