---
description: >-
  Join this room to learn about the first forms of malware and how they turned
  into the malicious code we see today.
---

# History of Malware

{% embed url="https://tryhackme.com/room/historyofmalware" %}
[https://tryhackme.com/room/historyofmalware](https://tryhackme.com/room/historyofmalware)
{% endembed %}



| Room Attributes       | Value                                                                   |
| --------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Subscription Required |  <mark style="color:green;background-color:green;">False</mark> \[Free] |
| Type                  | Walkthrough                                                             |
| Difficulty            |  <mark style="color:blue;background-color:blue;">Info</mark>            |
| Tags                  | Security, Walkthrough, Malware, History                                 |

## Video Walkthrough

{% embed url="https://youtu.be/WZf4LrOwXcE" %}
TryHackMe History of Malware Official Walkthrough
{% endembed %}

## Task 1 - Introduction

### Read the above.

{% hint style="success" %}
No answer needed
{% endhint %}

## Task 2 - The Creeper Program

### Read the above.

{% hint style="success" %}
No answer needed
{% endhint %}

### Who re-designed the Creeper Virus?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Ray Tomlinson`

</details>

### How is data transferred through a network?

{% hint style="warning" %}
**HINT:** It is a form of switching.
{% endhint %}

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Packet Switching`

</details>

### Who created the first concept of a virus?

{% hint style="warning" %}
**HINT:** He also created a computer architecture.
{% endhint %}

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`John von Neuma`nn

</details>

### What text did the Creeper program print to the screen?

{% hint style="warning" %}
**HINT:** This includes correct grammar.
{% endhint %}

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`I'm the Creeper, catch me if you can!`

</details>

### What does ARPANET stand for?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Advanced Research Projects Agency Network`

</details>

### Which team created the network control program?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Network Working Group`

</details>

### What is the first virus commonly known as?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Creeper`

</details>

## Task 3 - Reaper

### Read the above.

{% hint style="success" %}
No answer needed
{% endhint %}

### Who created Reaper?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Ray Tomlinson`

</details>

### What type of malware may Reaper be known as?

{% hint style="warning" %}
**HINT:** This is covered towards the end of the page.
{% endhint %}

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Nematode`

</details>

### What was the first ever anti-virus program known as?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Reaper`

</details>

### What was Bob Thomas' main project to develop?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`A resource-sharing capability`

</details>

### Research: What does API stand for?

{% hint style="warning" %}
**HINT:** Google (The resource was given)
{% endhint %}

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Application Programming Interface`

</details>

\


## Task 4 - Wabbit

### Read the information.

{% hint style="success" %}
No answer needed
{% endhint %}

### What is a modern day fork bomb also known as?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Denial of service attack`

</details>

### Was Rabbit one of the first malicious programs? (Y/N)

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Y`

</details>

### What did the name "Wabbit" derive from?

{% hint style="warning" %}
**HINT:** Name of the cartoon.
{% endhint %}

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Looney Tunes Cartoons`

</details>

## Task 5 - ANIMAL

### Read the above

{% hint style="success" %}
No answer needed
{% endhint %}

### When was PERVADE added to ANIMAL?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`1975`

</details>

### Did John think this was a good idea? (Y/N)

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Y`

</details>

### What computers did the program spread across?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`UNIVACs`

</details>

### What type of malware is ANIMAL also known as?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`A Trojan`

</details>

### Who built the wooden horse?

{% hint style="warning" %}
**HINT:** Start answer with "The"
{% endhint %}

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`The Greeks`

</details>



## Task 6 - Elk Cloner

### Read the above.

{% hint style="success" %}
No answer needed
{% endhint %}

### Which US Military regiment caught the virus?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`US Navy`

</details>

### How many lines long is the Elk Cloner poem?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`7`

</details>

### When was Elk Cloner written?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`1982`

</details>

### Is a boot sector virus _more or less_ common in modern technology?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`less`

</details>

### How long did it take Richard to write the program?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`2 Weeks`

</details>

### Which Operating System was affected?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Apple II`

</details>



## Task 7 - The Morris Internet Worm

### Read the above.

{% hint style="success" %}
No answer needed
{% endhint %}

### What commands were a very big way that allowed Morris to access the computers?

{% hint style="warning" %}
**HINT:** Full Name.
{% endhint %}

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Berkeley r-commands`

</details>

### Who was one the first person prosecuted for the computer misuse act?

{% hint style="warning" %}
**HINT:** Full name...
{% endhint %}

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Robert Tappan Morris`

</details>

### What type of attack is a "Fork Bomb"?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Denial of Service`

</details>

### When was this worm released?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`1988`

</details>

### How many computers did it infect within 15 hours?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`2000`

</details>

### What does **rsh** mean?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`remote shell`

</details>

### Under which act was Morris arrested for?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse act`

</details>

## Task 8 - Cascade

### Read the above.

{% hint style="success" %}
No answer needed
{% endhint %}

### What was the name of this virus?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`Cascade`

</details>

### What file extensions would this virus infect?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`.COM`

</details>

### How many variants of there virus were possibly found?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`40`

</details>

### What operating system would the virus run on?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`DOS`

</details>

### Which Operating System/Frame Work would Cascade try to avoid?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`IBM`

</details>

### How many bytes would be added onto your file if it got infected?

<details>

<summary>Reveal Flag <span data-gb-custom-inline data-tag="emoji" data-code="1f6a9">🚩</span></summary>

:triangular\_flag\_on\_post:`1704`

</details>

## Task 9 - Thanks for reading!

### Thanks!

{% hint style="success" %}
No answer needed
{% endhint %}

