The world of computing is full of surprises. Behind the screens, lines of code, and systems we use every day lie unexpected stories—sometimes unsettling, often fascinating. In this article, we invite you to discover three unusual facts about computer science that reveal just how ingenious, unpredictable… and even unsettling technology can be. From the very first ransomware attack to an operating system straight out of a dystopian novel, and a programming language still going strong after 60 years, get ready to see the world of computing from a whole new angle.
The first ransomware attack dates back to 1989
A term we hear often—and one that sends chills down the spine—is cryptolocker. These are malicious programs that encrypt your hard drive’s contents and demand a ransom to restore access. But this kind of threat isn’t new.
The very first known ransomware appeared in 1989. It was created by Dr. Joseph L. Popp, an evolutionary biologist. He mailed out a 5.25-inch floppy disk titled AIDS Information Introductory Diskette to around 20,000 participants at an AIDS conference. Behind this educational-looking façade hid a malicious program.
Once installed, the disk modified the AUTOEXEC.BAT system file so that, after 90 reboots, the system would encrypt file and directory names on the hard drive. To regain access, the victim had to send $189 USD to a P.O. box in Panama—supposedly to obtain a “software license.”
Fortunately, a security analyst named Jim Bates, along with his colleague John Sutcliffe, analyzed the program—written in QuickBasic 3.0—and developed one of the first decryption tools to counter this type of attack. Although Dr. Popp’s scheme was quickly uncovered and condemned, it nonetheless inspired a new generation of cybercriminals to refine and escalate this kind of threat. Today, ransomware has become one of the most common and feared types of cyberattacks.
COBOL, just an old programming language?
When we think of programming languages today, names like Python, JavaScript, or C++ usually come to mind. But long before these modern tools, a veteran of the coding world was already making its mark: COBOL. Born in 1959, this oddly named language—an acronym for Common Business-Oriented Language—was designed with a very specific goal in mind: to simplify the management of administrative, banking, and government data.
At the time, the Cold War was in full swing, and corporate computing was just beginning to emerge. The idea was simple, yet revolutionary: create a programming language that was easy to read, even for managers with no technical background. The result? Instructions that resembled plain English, like IF BALANCE < 0 THEN DISPLAY "INSUFFICIENT FUNDS". Thanks to this approach, COBOL quickly became the language of choice for banks, insurance companies, and government institutions.
Even today, tens of thousands of organizations still rely on COBOL-based applications to run mission-critical operations—payroll processing, reservation systems, bank transfers, and much more. What was meant to be a temporary solution has become… immortal.
But this longevity has had its downsides. In 1999, as the new millennium approached, a small technical detail sparked worldwide panic: the Y2K bug. Why? Because many COBOL programs recorded years using only two digits—99 for 1999. When the year rolled over to 00, there were fears that critical systems would interpret 2000 as… 1900. Governments and businesses had to act fast, scrambling to fix millions of lines of code before midnight.
And yet, COBOL endures. As of 2025, nearly 25,300 companies—including banks, government departments, and insurance firms—still use it. These organizations rely on COBOL to run systems deemed too complex or too costly to modernize.
Red Star OS: When an Operating System Becomes a Tool of Control
From foreign influence to homegrown software
For a long time, North Korean computers relied on foreign operating systems. Before 2008, the government primarily used modified versions of Red Hat Linux, a system popular in professional environments. Later, pirated copies of Windows XP took over. While surprising, this choice made certain internal uses more convenient.
But everything changed in 2008 with the arrival of a homegrown operating system: Red Star OS. Developed locally by the Korea Computer Center, this system was designed as a North Korean alternative to Western software. Since its launch, four known versions have been released—each one further advancing the regime’s primary goal: total control over information.
Total control and built-in surveillance
At first glance, Red Star OS looks like a typical Linux distribution with a polished graphical interface (version 3 even mimics the look of macOS). But don’t be fooled by its familiar appearance—everything about it is designed to prevent users from making unauthorized changes. Modifying a system file, altering a setting, or installing unapproved software will automatically trigger a system reboot. When the system restarts, it reverts to the original configuration, as if nothing had ever happened.
But it doesn’t stop there. Red Star OS also includes a kind of “pseudo-antivirus” that constantly scans files for content the regime deems illicit. Western music, foreign films, political documents—if detected, these files are deleted automatically and without warning.
More troubling still, Red Star OS adds a digital watermark to every media file opened—be it a photo, song, or video. This invisible tag allows the government to trace the user, even if the file is shared via USB drive. This form of traceability isn’t meant to protect copyrights—it’s designed to discourage the circulation of information considered dangerous.
In short, Red Star OS isn’t just an operating system. It’s a tool of digital surveillance built to eliminate any semblance of computing freedom. Where most systems aim to empower users, this one does exactly the opposite.
Conclusion – Where the Past, the Present, and Control Intertwine
Behind every line of code and every familiar interface lies a story—sometimes strange, often overlooked, but always revealing. The cryptolocker of the 1980s, launched by a biologist through floppy disks, paved the way for today’s ransomware. COBOL, that programming dinosaur, still powers the core systems of banks and governments, decades after its creation. And Red Star OS, with its locking mechanisms and surveillance features, reminds us that computing can become a tool of control when it falls into the wrong hands.
Whether it’s malicious innovation, technological resilience, or digital manipulation, these three unusual stories from the world of computing remind us that technology is never truly neutral. It shapes our lives just as much as we shape how we use it. And sometimes, it’s the most surprising stories that reveal the most about our relationship with technology.
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