What is the most deadly computer virus?
As of May 12, 2019, the most deadly computer virus is the WannaCry ransomware virus. This virus infected more than 230,000 computers in 150 countries within a matter of days, with a total damage estimate of over $4 billion. The WannaCry virus took advantage of a security flaw in Microsoft’s Windows operating system to spread quickly and encrypt files on victims’ computers, making them inaccessible. The virus demanded a ransom of $300-$600 in Bitcoin in order to decrypt the files, although there is no guarantee that paying the ransom will actually lead to the files being decrypted. The WannaCry virus caused widespread panic and disrupted many businesses and organizations, including the UK’s National Health Service.
What is the most powerful computer virus?
There are many different types of computer viruses out there, and it can be tough to keep track of them all. But when it comes to sheer power and destructiveness, few can top the following five.
5. ILOVEYOU
First appearing in 2000, the ILOVEYOU virus quickly spread to millions of computers around the world, inflicting an estimated $5.5 billion in damage. The virus was particularly destructive because it not only replicated itself, but also overwrote crucial system files, making it difficult (if not impossible) to recover infected computers.
4. Mydoom
Like ILOVEYOU, Mydoom was a destructive virus that caused billions of dollars in damage. First appearing in 2004, the virus quickly spread via email attachments, infecting an estimated 30% of all email servers. Once a computer was infected, Mydoom would give hackers remote access to the machine, allowing them to steal sensitive information or plant other malicious software.
3. Stuxnet
Stuxnet is widely considered to be the most sophisticated malware ever created. First appearing in 2010, the virus was specifically designed to target industrial control systems, such as those used in nuclear facilities. Once infected, Stuxnet would reprogram the systems, causing them to operate in a manner that could lead to catastrophic damage. Fortunately, the virus was never used for its intended purpose and was only discovered after it had begun to spread uncontrollably.
2. WannaCry
WannaCry was a ransomware worm that spread rapidly across the globe in 2017, affecting an estimated 200,000 computers in 150 countries. The virus encrypted files on infected computers, making them inaccessible unless the victim paid a ransom in Bitcoin. While many people did pay the ransom, there is no guarantee that they received the decryption key needed to unlock their files.
1. Flame
Flame is widely considered to be the most powerful computer virus ever created. First appearing in 2012, the virus was designed to steal sensitive information, such as passwords and documents. Flame was also capable of turning infected computers into “zombies” that could be used to launch attacks on other machines. What made Flame so unique (and dangerous) was its ability to spread via Bluetooth, making it nearly impossible to contain.
What was the first computer virus?
The first computer virus was the “ELK Cloner” virus, written in 1981 by a 15-year-old high school student named Rich Skrenta. The virus was designed to spread itself by infecting Apple II computers and copies of the popular game “Elk Hunter.” When a user played the infected game, the virus would copy itself to the computer’s floppy disk and would then infect any other floppy disks that were inserted into the computer.
The ELK Cloner virus was not particularly destructive, but it did cause a lot of inconvenience for users. Infected computers would display a message that reads, “You’ve been cloned!” every time the computer was booted up. The virus would also slow down the computer’s performance and would sometimes cause errors when trying to access certain files.
Despite its relatively harmless effects, the ELK Cloner virus was a significant milestone in the history of malware. It was the first virus designed to spread itself automatically, and it laid the foundation for the much more sophisticated viruses that would come later.
What are the most common types of computer viruses?
Most Common Types of Computer Viruses
There are countless types of computer viruses out there, but some are more common than others. Below is a list of the most common types of viruses, along with a brief description of each.
1.Trojan Horses
A Trojan Horse is a type of virus that is disguised as a harmless application or file. When executed, the Trojan Horse will perform malicious actions, such as stealing sensitive information or deleting files.
2. Worms
Worms are similar to Trojan Horses in that they are also able to replicate themselves. However, unlike Trojan Horses, worms do not need to be executed in order to begin their attack. Once a worm gets onto a system, it will start spreading itself to other systems on the network.
3. Adware
Adware is a type of virus that displays unwanted advertisements. These advertisements can be in the form of pop-ups, banners, or even full-page ads. Adware is often bundled with free applications and can be difficult to remove.
4. Spyware
Spyware is a type of virus that is designed to collect sensitive information about the user. This information can include everything from passwords and credit card numbers to browsing history and email addresses. Spyware can be installed without the user’s knowledge and is often difficult to detect and remove.
5. Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of virus that encrypts the user’s files and demands a ransom be paid in order to decrypt them. This type of virus is particularly dangerous as it can result in the loss of important data. Ransomware is often spread through email attachments or malicious websites.
6. Polymorphic Viruses
Polymorphic viruses are a type of virus that is able to change its code in order to evade detection. This makes polymorphic viruses particularly difficult to detect and remove.
7. Macro Viruses
Macro viruses are a type of virus that is written in a macro language. These viruses often infect Application files, such as those created in Microsoft Word or Excel. Macro viruses are often spread through email attachments.
8. Boot Sector Viruses
Boot sector viruses are a type of virus that infects the boot sector of a hard drive. This type of virus is particularly difficult to remove as it can infect the system BIOS. Boot sector viruses are often spread through infected floppy disks.
9. File Infector Viruses
File infector viruses are a type of virus that infects executable files. These types of viruses are often spread through email attachments or infected websites.
10. Memory Resident Viruses
Memory resident viruses are a type of virus that resides in system memory. This type of virus is particularly difficult to remove as it can infect system files. Memory resident viruses are often spread through email attachments or infected websites.
How do computer viruses spread?
A computer virus is a program that is designed to damage or disable a computer. Viruses can spread by email attachments, social media, infected websites, and removable media. The most deadly computer virus is the WannaCry virus, which spread by email attachments and infected websites. WannaCry infected more than 150,000 computers in 150 countries and caused more than $4 billion in damages.
Visit malwarezero.org to learn more about most deadly computer virus. Disclaimer: We used this website as a reference when writting this blog post.