The Top 10 Most Dangerous Computer Viruses
1. ILOVEYOU
This virus came in the form of an email with the subject line “I love you” and attached itself to a victim’s computer if they opened the email. Once the email was opened, the virus would send itself out to everyone in the victim’s contact list and display a message that said “ILOVEYOU” on the victim’s screen. This virus is estimated to have caused $5.5 billion in damages.
2. Morris Worm
The Morris Worm was created by a graduate student at Cornell University in 1988. The worm was designed to gauge the size of the internet but ended up replicating itself so much that it ended up bogging down computers and shutting them down. The Morris Worm is credited with being the first malware that was created with malicious intent.
3. Melissa
The Melissa virus was created in 1999 and was designed to infect Microsoft Word documents. The virus would replicate itself and then send itself out to the first 50 people in the victim’s Outlook contact list. The virus would then display a message that said “Here is that document you asked for…”. Melissa is estimated to have caused $80 million in damages.
4. Code Red
Code Red was a worm that exploited a security flaw in Microsoft’s IIS web server software. The worm would scan for vulnerable systems and then infect them. Once a system was infected, the worm would then try to spread to other systems. Code Red was responsible for taking down the White House website in 2001.
5. SQL Slammer
SQL Slammer was a worm that exploited a vulnerability in Microsoft’s SQL Server software. The worm would send out a random string of data to port 1434/UDP and if the system was vulnerable, the worm would then infect it. SQL Slammer spread quickly and caused widespread problems as it brought down many servers and internet routers.
6. MyDoom
MyDoom was a virus that was released in 2004 and was designed to infect computers running Microsoft Windows. The virus would spread itself by emailing itself to people in the victim’s address book. MyDoom is notable for being the fastest spreading email worm at the time and is estimated to have caused $38 billion in damages.
7. Storm Worm
Storm Worm was a virus that was released in 2007 and was designed to infect computers running Microsoft Windows. The virus would spread itself by emailing itself to people in the victim’s address book. The email would have a subject line that said “230 dead as storm batters Europe” and would have an attached file that would infect the computer if opened. Storm Worm is estimated to have caused $10 billion in damages.
8. Sasser
Sasser was a virus that was released in 2004 and was designed to infect computers running Microsoft Windows. The virus would spread itself by scanning for vulnerable systems and then infecting them. Once a system was infected, the virus would then try to spread to other systems. Sasser was responsible for taking down many servers and causing millions of dollars in damages.
9. Conficker
Conficker was a virus that was released in 2008 and was designed to infect computers running Microsoft Windows. The virus would spread itself by scanning for vulnerable systems and then infecting them. Once a system was infected, the virus would then try to spread to other systems. Conficker is notable for being one of the most difficult viruses to remove and is estimated to have caused $9 billion in damages.
10. Stuxnet
Stuxnet was a virus that was released in 2010 and was designed to infect computers running Microsoft Windows. The virus was specifically designed to target industrial control systems and is believed to have been created by the United States and Israel. Stuxnet is estimated to have caused $2 billion in damages..View it
The most feared computer viruses
Most computer viruses are relatively harmless and only cause minor inconveniences, like slowing down your computer or filling your screen with pop-ups. However, there are a handful of viruses that are much more dangerous and can cause serious financial damage or even identity theft. Here are the most feared computer viruses of all time.
1. The ILOVEYOU virus
The ILOVEYOU virus is a notorious email virus that first surfaced in 2000. It quickly spread around the world, causing billions of dollars in damage. The virus was disguised as a love letter, which fooled many people into opening it. Once opened, the virus would replicate itself and send itself out to everyone in the victim’s address book. It would also delete important files on the victim’s computer and wreak havoc on their system.
2. The Melissa virus
Named after a topless dancer in Florida, the Melissa virus was another email virus that caused a lot of damage when it was first released in 1999. It infected over one million computers and caused an estimated $80 million in damage. The virus would spread itself by emailing itself to people in the victim’s address book. It would then disable certain security features on the victim’s computer and allow the attacker to gain remote access to their system.
3. The Code Red virus
The Code Red virus was first discovered in 2001 and quickly spread to over 350,000 computers within just two days. The virus took advantage of a security flaw in Microsoft’s IIS web server software and would deface any website that it managed to infect. The virus would also disable the victim’s computer and prevent it from being able to access the internet.
4. The SQL Slammer virus
The SQL Slammer virus was a destructive malware that caused a massive denial of service attack in 2003. The virus took advantage of a security flaw in Microsoft’s SQL Server software and managed to infect over 75,000 computers within just ten minutes. The virus caused widespread damage and caused the shutdown of critical internet infrastructure, like banks and government agencies.
5. The Cryptolocker virus
The Cryptolocker virus is a type of ransomware that first surfaced in 2013. The virus encrypts the victim’s files and demands a ransom be paid in order to decrypt them. The virus has caused millions of dollars in damage and has even led to some victims paying the ransom. However, there is no guarantee that the victim will get their files back even if they do pay the ransom.
These are just a few of the most feared computer viruses of all time. While most viruses are relatively harmless, there are a handful of them that can cause serious damage. Be sure to practice safe computing habits and always have a good antivirus program installed to protect yourself from these threats.
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