The most dangerous computer virus ever: the story of the ILOVEYOU virus
On May 5, 2000, a computer virus called ILOVEYOU began spreading rapidly across the globe, infecting millions of computers in just a matter of hours. The virus, which was written in the Philippines by a 20-year-old computer science student named Onel de Guzman, took advantage of a vulnerability in Microsoft Outlook to spread itself via email. Once a computer was infected, the virus would send itself out to everyone in the victim’s address book.
The ILOVEYOU virus was particularly destructive because it overwrote important system files on infected computers, rendering them inoperable. It also caused billions of dollars in damage, as businesses and governments struggled to recover from the outbreak.
In the years since the ILOVEYOU virus wreaked havoc, malware has only become more sophisticated and destructive. Today, there are viruses that can encrypt your files and demand a ransom for the decryption key, viruses that can steal your personal information, and even viruses that can take over your computer and use it to mine cryptocurrency.
While there have been many, many destructive viruses over the years, ILOVEYOU remains one of the most notorious. So, if you ever get an email with the subject line “I love you,” be very careful before opening it. Extra resources
The most dangerous computer virus ever: the story of the Melissa virus
In March of 1999, a computer virus named “Melissa” created a global epidemic. The virus was spread via email, and it infected tens of thousands of computers in just a few days. The Melissa virus was created by a man named David L. Smith, who was later arrested and sentenced to 20 months in prison.
The Melissa virus was a “worm” virus, which means that it was able to spread itself to other computers without any help from the user. Once a computer was infected, the virus would send itself to the first 50 people in the user’s address book. The email would appear to be coming from a trusted source, and it would have a subject line that said “Important Message From [User’s Name].”
Once the email was opened, the virus would automatically infect the computer and begin replicating itself. The virus would then cause the computer to emit a high-pitched screeching noise. The Melissa virus was not destructive, but it caused a great deal of inconvenience for users and businesses.
The Melissa virus was stopped within a few days by a team of computer scientists who developed a “vaccine” that could immunize computers from the virus. However, the Melissa virus was a wake-up call for the need for better security measures to protect against future viruses.
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