Malware museum features a virtual rogues gallery of nefarious coding

February 5, 2016

The non-profit Internet Archive library today unveiled a virtual Malware Museum, which offers a look back at some of the hacking community's earliest attempts to infect computers.

Assembled by computer security expert Mikko Hypponen and Internet Archive archivist and curator Jason Scott, the site includes a gallery of screen images from computers infected with various throwback viruses from the 1980s and 1990s.

The collection includes such highlights as:

LSD, a virus that overwrites directories and displays a trippy, multicolor video effect
FRODO, a stealth DOS virus that acknowledges Lord of the Rings by launching a trojan and displaying the message “FRODO LIVES!” on Sept. 22, the hobbit character's birthday
COFFSHOP, a virus that displays a marijuana leaf graphic with the words “LEGALIZE CANNAbIS”

Fear not: clicking on the malware archives is perfectly safe—the malicious coding has already been removed by the digital curators.

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Bradley Barth

As director of multimedia content strategy at CyberRisk Alliance, Bradley Barth develops content for online conferences, webcasts, podcasts video/multimedia projects — often serving as moderator or host. For nearly six years, he wrote and reported for SC Media as deputy editor and, before that, senior reporter. He was previously a program executive with the tech-focused PR firm Voxus. Past journalistic experience includes stints as business editor at Executive Technology, a staff writer at New York Sportscene and a freelance journalist covering travel and entertainment. In his spare time, Bradley also writes screenplays.

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