What are the most dangerous computer viruses of all time?
There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on a number of factors, including the specific virus in question and the system it is targeting. However, some of the most dangerous computer viruses of all time include the following:
1. WannaCry: This ransomware virus encrypts files on a victim’s computer, making them inaccessible unless a ransom is paid. It first emerged in May 2017 and quickly spread around the world, affecting hundreds of thousands of systems in 150 countries. WannaCry was particularly dangerous because it exploited a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows that had been identified and patched by the National Security Agency (NSA).
2. NotPetya: This virus, which first appeared in June 2017, shares many features with WannaCry. However, it is even more destructive, encrypting not only files but also the entire hard drive of an infected computer. This makes recovery extremely difficult, if not impossible. NotPetya also utilises the same NSA-derived exploit as WannaCry, meaning that many systems were left vulnerable to attack.
3. CodeRed: This destructive virus first appeared in July 2001 and quickly spread, infecting over 350,000 systems within days. CodeRed takes advantage of a buffer overflow vulnerability in Microsoft’s Internet Information Services web server software. Once a system is infected, the virus can allow attackers to take control of the machine and use it to launch further attacks.
4. Slammer: This virus, which emerged in January 2003, is notable for its sheer speed. Slammer spreads by randomly scanning the Internet for systems with a specific vulnerability. Once it finds a vulnerable system, it infects it in just seconds. This makes Slammer particularly difficult to defend against. As a result, it managed to infect around 75,000 systems within 10 minutes of first appearing.
5. ILoveYou: This virus, which first emerged in May 2000, is a simple but effective piece of malware. It infects systems by disguising itself as a love letter, tricking users into opening it. Once executed, the virus deletes a number of critical files, rendering the system inoperable. ILoveYou caused estimated damage of around $5.5 billion.
These are just some of the most dangerous computer viruses of all time. However, it is important to remember that new viruses are appearing all the time and any computer can be vulnerable to attack. As such, it is important to keep your system up-to-date with the latest security patches and to install reliable antivirus software.
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What is the most damaging computer virus of all time?
There are many contenders for the most damaging computer virus of all time, but the title is usually given to either the ILOVEYOU virus or the Melissa virus.
The ILOVEYOU virus, also known as the Love Bug, first appeared in May 2000. It was a simple yet effective virus that spread rapidly via email attachments. Once a user opened the attachment, the virus would send itself to everyone in their address book and then display a message that said “ILOVEYOU” on their screen.
The Melissa virus followed a similar pattern, except that it infected Microsoft Word documents instead of email attachments. It also displayed a message, but instead of “ILOVEYOU” it said “Here is that document you asked for…don’t show anyone else ;-)”
Both of these viruses caused widespread damage, with the ILOVEYOU virus estimated to have caused $5.5 billion in damage and the Melissa virus causing $30 million in damage. While there have been more damaging viruses since, such as the Code Red virus which caused $2 billion in damage, these two are still considered the most damaging of all time.
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