The Brain virus, first appearing in 1986, primarily targeted IBM PCs. Its main function was to slow down the floppy disk drive. It achieved this by replacing the boot sector of the floppy disk. This action also displayed a message claiming infection and demanding payment for "inoculation," essentially a ransom demand. Importantly, beyond slowing the floppy disk drive, the Brain virus caused no other system damage.
How the Brain Virus Worked
- Floppy Disk Targeting: The virus specifically affected floppy disks, a common storage medium at the time.
- Boot Sector Infection: By overwriting the boot sector, the virus gained control of the disk's startup process.
- Message Display: The altered boot process resulted in a message appearing on the screen, announcing the infection and demanding payment.
- Limited Functionality: The virus's effects were confined to the slowdown of the floppy disk drive and the display of the message. It didn't corrupt files or damage the operating system.
This early virus, considered one of the first of its kind, highlighted the potential for malicious software to spread and cause disruption, albeit in a limited way compared to later viruses. Its creators were Pakistani brothers who aimed to track pirated copies of their software.
