{"id":504452,"date":"2022-10-28T14:00:31","date_gmt":"2022-10-28T11:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/the-10-worst-computer-viruses-in-history\/"},"modified":"2022-10-28T14:00:31","modified_gmt":"2022-10-28T11:00:31","slug":"the-10-worst-computer-viruses-in-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-10-worst-computer-viruses-in-history\/","title":{"rendered":"#The 10 Worst Computer Viruses in History"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a4070f170e51\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a4070f170e51\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-10-worst-computer-viruses-in-history\/#%E2%80%9CThe_10_Worst_Computer_Viruses_in_History%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;The 10 Worst Computer Viruses in History&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-10-worst-computer-viruses-in-history\/#Melissa_%E2%80%93_1999\" >Melissa \u2013 1999<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-10-worst-computer-viruses-in-history\/#ILOVEYOU_%E2%80%93_2000\" >ILOVEYOU \u2013 2000<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-10-worst-computer-viruses-in-history\/#Code_Red_%E2%80%93_2001\" >Code Red \u2013 2001<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-10-worst-computer-viruses-in-history\/#Nimda_%E2%80%93_2001\" >Nimda \u2013 2001<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-10-worst-computer-viruses-in-history\/#Sobig_%E2%80%93_2003\" >Sobig \u2013 2003<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-10-worst-computer-viruses-in-history\/#Mydoom_%E2%80%93_2004\" >Mydoom \u2013 2004<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-10-worst-computer-viruses-in-history\/#Zeus_%E2%80%93_2007\" >Zeus \u2013 2007<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-10-worst-computer-viruses-in-history\/#Stuxnet_%E2%80%93_2010\" >Stuxnet \u2013 2010<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-10-worst-computer-viruses-in-history\/#PoisonIvy_%E2%80%93_2011\" >PoisonIvy \u2013 2011<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-10-worst-computer-viruses-in-history\/#WannaCry_%E2%80%93_2017\" >WannaCry \u2013 2017<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-10-worst-computer-viruses-in-history\/#The_Computer_Virus_Is_Alive_and_Well\" >The Computer Virus Is Alive and Well<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CThe_10_Worst_Computer_Viruses_in_History%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;The 10 Worst Computer Viruses in History&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<!-- UNCACHED CONTENT --><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage size-full wp-image-841230\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Computer-Virus.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Computer code in the shape of a skull on a screen\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/computer-code-on-screen-skull-representing-1050436496\">solarseven\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Computer virus: Those two words instantly make us sweat\u2014and for good reason. Since the 1980s, viruses have wreaked havoc on everything from <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#moka_anchor_Melissa1999\">our inboxes<\/a>\u00a0to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#moka_anchor_Stuxnet2010\">industrial facilities<\/a>. While cybersecurity has improved, the damage done by viruses throughout history is a reminder of what these bugs can do.<\/p>\n<p>Picture it: It\u2019s 1986, and you see a message on your Windows PC saying your computer is infected with a virus. To remedy the situation, you\u2019re instructed to call brothers Basit and Amjad Farooq Alvi. At that moment, as you pick up your phone and start to dial, you im<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>tely regret pirating the brothers\u2019 software (as you should).<\/p>\n<p>The virus was known as\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/3607085\/type\/am\/sid\/841213-xid-{xid}\/https:\/\/us.norton.com\/blog\/malware\/when-were-computer-viruses-first-written-and-what-were-their-original-purposes#&amp;___trxnet=cj\">Brain<\/a>, the first PC virus. It was technically built for the protection of software. However, the good intentions didn\u2019t last. Soon, viruses were malicious in nature, resulting in billions of dollars of damage, identity theft, wrecked hardware\u2026the list goes on.<\/p>\n<p>Millions of viruses have existed since Brain in 1986. However, some have been considerably worse than others.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Melissa_%E2%80%93_1999\"><\/span>Melissa \u2013 1999<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In 1999, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/441321\/does-your-computer-have-a-virus-heres-how-to-check\/\">computer viruses were still a relatively new concept. However, the Melissa virus, known as the fastest-growing virus of that time, quickly highlighted them as a growing concern for all.<\/p>\n<p>It all started when a man named David Lee Smith used an AOL account to upload a file to the internet that, when <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">download<\/a>ed, would hijack early versions of Microsoft Word. If a user also had Microsoft Outlook, the virus would send itself via email to the top 50 people in a user\u2019s address book.<\/p>\n<p>While that may not seem like that big of a deal, it was. According to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fbi.gov\/news\/stories\/melissa-virus-20th-anniversary-032519\">the FBI<\/a>, many corporate and government email servers became overloaded and had to be shut down. In addition, internet traffic slowed to a trickle.<\/p>\n<p>This virus <em>did<\/em> have a happy ending. A few months after David Lee Smith was sentenced for his crime, the FBI developed its Cyber Division, which still investigates cyber crime to this day.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ILOVEYOU_%E2%80%93_2000\"><\/span>ILOVEYOU \u2013 2000<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Who doesn\u2019t want to find a love letter in their inbox? Unfortunately, many Romeos and Juliets in 2000 fell victim to a virus after clicking what looked like a love letter in Microsoft Outlook.<\/p>\n<p>The <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ILOVEYOU\">ILOVEYOU<\/a> virus (known as Love Bug back then) was technically a worm\u00a0and started as a seemingly innocent email. The subject line, \u201cILOVEYOU,\u201d drew email users to click. Inside, a text file titled \u201cLOVE-LETTER-FOR-YOU.TXT.VBS\u201d was waiting.<\/p>\n<p>Once the text file was opened, the worm would go on to permanently damage files such as photos and critical documents on a user\u2019s computer. Even worse, it would attach itself to all the addresses in Microsoft Outlook, spreading like wildfire.<\/p>\n<p>As a worm, no further human intervention was required to keep ILOVEYOU moving. As a result, millions of computers became infected in only a matter of days.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Code_Red_%E2%80%93_2001\"><\/span>Code Red \u2013 2001<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-843877\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/DoS-MacBook.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Computer screen with potential virus\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/computer-lcd-screen-multiple-pings-virus-1797009295\">Audrius Merfeldas\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>One of the more ominous-sounding viruses on our list, Code Red took over corporate IT in 2001. In fact, it\u2019s regarded by many as the first severe attack on a corporate system.<\/p>\n<p>The Code Red worm specifically targeted systems running Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) for Windows Server. As described in a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20060831221910\/http:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/technet\/security\/bulletin\/MS01-033.mspx\">Microsoft Security Bulletin<\/a>, the attacker could use an unchecked buffer, establish a server session, conduct a buffer overrun, and execute code on the web server.<\/p>\n<p>The result? Important websites would display \u201cWelcome to http:\/\/www.worm.com! Hacked by Chinese!\u201d and nothing else. The worm was also the cause of various dangerous denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.<\/p>\n<p>But that ominous-sounding name? It was inspired by the drink <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Code_Red_(computer_worm)#:~:text=Code%20Red%20was%20a%20computer,to%20successfully%20target%20enterprise%20networks.&amp;text=A%20website%20defaced%20by%20the%20worm.\">the security employees<\/a> were sipping when they found the worm: Mountain Dew Code Red.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Nimda_%E2%80%93_2001\"><\/span>Nimda \u2013 2001<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nimda\">Nimda<\/a> struck just a few months after Code Red and just a short time after the September 11th attacks that left us in shock. As a worm, Nimda was similar to ILOVEYOU and Code Red in that it replicated itself.<\/p>\n<p>However, Nimda was particularly damaging as it was able to spread in various ways, including via email and compromised websites. Nimda affected Windows operating systems and was able to modify system files and even create guest accounts.<\/p>\n<p>Due to Nimda, millions of machines were infected, and many large corporations had to shut down their networks and operations. The actual cost of Nimda has yet to be fully estimated. But trust us when we say it\u2019s <em>a lot<\/em>.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sobig_%E2%80%93_2003\"><\/span>Sobig \u2013 2003<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-843924\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Email-Inbox-Attachment.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Person using a laptop displaying an email inbox\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/email-inbox-full-messages-text-man-1555297904\">Tero Vesalainen\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While opening an email may not lead to infection, email attachments are a whole other can of worms (pun intended). Opening weird attachments from email addresses you don\u2019t recognize is a big no-no. And while many email users today know this, things were different in 2003.<\/p>\n<p>The Sobig worm infected millions of Microsoft computers via email. The threat would arrive in your inbox with a subject line like \u201cDetails\u201d or \u201cThank you!\u201d And inside, there would be an attachment just begging for a click.<\/p>\n<p>When clicked, Sobig would infect the computer, search for other email addresses in various computer files, and then quickly replicate by sending itself to those addresses.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s worse, Sobig had multiple variants, including A, B, C, D, E, and F. The \u201cF\u201d variant was by far the worst of the group. In August of 2003, it <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2003\/TECH\/internet\/08\/21\/sobig.virus\/index.html\">was reported<\/a> that one out of every 17 emails was a copy of the Sobig.F virus.<\/p>\n<p>Due to its spreading capabilities, Sobig overwhelmed networks worldwide and resulted in billions of dollars in damages.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mydoom_%E2%80%93_2004\"><\/span>Mydoom \u2013 2004<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><em>\u201cI\u2019m just doing my job, nothing personal, sorry.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>This was the email message sent by the email worm, Mydoom, first discovered in 2004. And a job it did, indeed. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mydoom\">Mydoom<\/a> quickly became the fastest-growing email worm in history. In fact, it still holds the title.<\/p>\n<p>Similar to Sobig and other worms on this list, Mydoom was primarily spread through email attachments. If the attachment was opened, the worm would send itself to other email addresses found in the user\u2019s address book or other local files.<\/p>\n<p>The fast growth of Mydoom slowed internet traffic worldwide. At the time, it <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/archive\/business\/2004\/01\/28\/mydoom-spreading-slowing-networks\/e409aff1-768d-491c-9d53-263dbab5c430\/\">was reported<\/a> that some websites were experiencing response times 8 to 10% lower than the average. Mydoom was also behind multiple DoS and DDoS attacks, including <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2009_DDoS_attacks_against_South_Korea\">attacks<\/a> against the US and South Korea.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Zeus_%E2%80%93_2007\"><\/span>Zeus \u2013 2007<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Zeus_(malware)\">Zeus<\/a>, also known as Zbot, is trojan malware infecting Microsoft Windows. The malware most commonly targets financial or banking information. The first sighting of Zeus was in 2007, when the malware was found stealing information from the US Department of Transportation.<\/p>\n<p>Zeus works by developing a botnet, which is a network of remote-controlled computers or bots that have been infected by malware. As a result, an attacker can control multiple computers at once. Zeus often infects a computer after a user clicks a malicious link in an email or downloads an infected file.<\/p>\n<p>Why is Zeus so dangerous? For example, the malware can use keylogging to capture sensitive information such as online banking passwords. In fact, in 2010, the FBI <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Blotter\/fbi-crime-ring-stole-70-million-computer-virus\/story?id=11777873\">busted a crime ring<\/a> that used the Zeus trojan to steal around $70 million from its victims.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stuxnet_%E2%80%93_2010\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_Stuxnet2010\">Stuxnet \u2013 2010<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Stuxnet\">Stuxnet<\/a> made headlines in 2010 as the first worm developed to target industrial control systems. The worm inflicted physical damage on Iran\u2019s nuclear facilities, particularly centrifuges. How? By exploiting vulnerabilities found within Windows to gain access to the software used to control the industrial equipment.<\/p>\n<p>Stuxnet was also unique in that the worm was first introduced to computers using infected USB drives. Yes, physical USB drives. Even now, Stuxnet is hailed as the world\u2019s first cyberweapon.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"PoisonIvy_%E2%80%93_2011\"><\/span>PoisonIvy \u2013 2011<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>PoisonIvy does more than make its victims itch. Known as a backdoor trojan or remote access trojan (RAT), PoisonIvy is used to gain access to a victim\u2019s computer. While PoisonIvy isn\u2019t a virus but a type of malware, it deserves a place on our list nonetheless.<\/p>\n<p>PoisonIvy was first identified in 2005. However, one of the most notable attacks using the trojan occurred in 2011. Known as the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nitro_hacking_attacks\">Nitro hacking attacks<\/a>, PoisonIvy was used to steal critical information from chemical manufacturers, government agencies, and other organizations.<\/p>\n<p>PoisonIvy is dangerous because threat actors can access a computer for keylogging, screen capturing, and more. The trojan is also used to steal passwords and other critical personal information.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WannaCry_%E2%80%93_2017\"><\/span>WannaCry \u2013 2017<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-843834\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/WannaCry-Virus.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Wannacry-like virus window\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-vector\/malware-ransomware-wannacry-virus-encrypted-files-640178812\">Nice Scene\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/WannaCry_ransomware_attack\">WannaCry ransomware attack<\/a> took place in May 2017. The goal was simple: to hold a user\u2019s files hostage and get paid in Bitcoin.<\/p>\n<p>The WannaCry attack used a leaked hack known as <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/EternalBlue\">EternalBlue<\/a> to gain access to computers running Microsoft Windows. Once in, WannaCry would encrypt the computer\u2019s data. Then, users would see a message demanding a Bitcoin payment for the release of their files.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, WannaCry did have its victims. In 2017, the damage <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/wannacry-ransomware-attacks-wannacry-virus-losses\/\">was estimated<\/a> to be in the billions. Even today, WannaCry still exists, highlighting the importance of protecting ourselves from ransomware.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Computer_Virus_Is_Alive_and_Well\"><\/span>The Computer Virus Is Alive and Well<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As technology evolves, so does the work of cybercriminals. While you may see the years listed above and get the impression that viruses are a thing of the past, that couldn\u2019t be further from the truth.<\/p>\n<p>Serious threats such as ransomware are alive and well. The best thing you can do?\u00a0Protect yourself. Even the most basic security practices can help prevent viruses from infecting your devices.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/841213\/worst-computer-viruses-in-history\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;The 10 Worst Computer Viruses in History&#8221; solarseven\/Shutterstock.com Computer virus: Those two words instantly make us sweat\u2014and for good reason. Since the 1980s, viruses have wreaked havoc on everything from our inboxes\u00a0to industrial facilities. While cybersecurity has improved, the damage done by viruses throughout history is a reminder of what these bugs can do. Picture&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":504453,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Computer-Virus.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-504452","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/504452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=504452"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/504452\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/504453"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=504452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=504452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=504452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}