What are the top 10 most dangerous computer viruses?

The term “computer virus” is used to describe a broad range of malicious software, or “malware.” Malware is a type of software designed to gain access to or damage a computer without the user’s permission or knowledge.

Computer viruses are just one type of malware. Other common types of malware include worms, Trojan horses, spyware, adware, and ransomware.

Some computer viruses are fairly harmless and only cause minor annoyances, like slowing down your computer or displaying annoying pop-up ads. But other viruses can do much more damage.

Some computer viruses are designed to steal your personal information, like your credit card number or bank account password. Others might delete important files from your computer or even encrypt your files so you can’t access them anymore.

The list of the most dangerous computer viruses is constantly changing, as new viruses are created and old ones become less common. But there are some viruses that have been around for many years and continue to cause serious problems.

Here are the 10 most dangerous computer viruses of all time:

1. ILOVEYOU

The ILOVEYOU virus is a particularly nasty piece of malware that first surfaced in 2000. The virus was spread by email, with the subject line “I love you” and attached file “LOVE-LETTER-FOR-YOU.TXT.VBS.”

When opened, the virus would display a message that said “I love you” and then proceed to delete crucial files from the infected computer. The ILOVEYOU virus is estimated to have caused $5.5 billion in damages and affected more than 50 million computers.

2. Melissa

Named after a topless dancer in Florida, the Melissa virus was first discovered in 1999. Like the ILOVEYOU virus, Melissa spread via email, with the subject line “Here is that document you asked for…” and attached file “MASTER.DOC.”

When opened, the virus would infect the computer and then generate emails containing the virus to the first 50 people in the victim’s address book. The Melissa virus caused an estimated $80 million in damages.

3. WannaCry

The WannaCry virus is a type of ransomware that surfaced in 2017. Unlike other ransomware, which typically only affects individual computers, WannaCry was designed to spread quickly across a network, infecting thousands of computers in a short period of time.

WannaCry encrypts files on an infected computer and then demands a ransom be paid in order to decrypt the files. The WannaCry virus is believed to have affected more than 200,000 computers in 150 countries and caused billions of dollars in damages.

4. Code Red

Discovered in 2001, the Code Red virus was a type of worm that spread quickly across the internet, infecting more than 359,000 computers within 14 hours of its release.

Code Red took advantage of a flaw in Microsoft’s Internet Information Services web server software to gain access to computers. Once inside, the virus would deface websites and launch denial-of-service attacks against other computers. Code Red caused an estimated $2 billion in damages.

5. Blaster

The Blaster virus, also known as the MSBlaster worm, surfaced in 2003. Like Code Red, Blaster exploited a flaw in Microsoft’s software to gain access to computers. However, instead of defacing websites or launching denial-of-service attacks, Blaster installed a program that allowed remote access to the infected computer.

Blaster was used to launch denial-of-service attacks against Microsoft’s website and other online targets. The virus is estimated to have caused $13 billion in damages.

6. SQL Slammer

The SQL Slammer virus was a type of denial-of-service attack that hit computers in 2003. The virus took advantage of a flaw in Microsoft’s SQL Server software to gain access to computers. Once inside, the virus would replicate itself and flood the victim’s computer with so much traffic that it would crash.

The SQL Slammer virus spread quickly, infecting more than 75,000 computers within 10 minutes. The virus caused an estimated $1 billion in damages.

7. MyDoom

The MyDoom virus is a type of malware that surfaced in 2004. The virus was spread via email, with the subject line “hi” and attached file “body.”

When opened, the virus would install a program that allowed remote access to the infected computer. MyDoom was also used to launch denial-of-service attacks against websites, including the websites of Microsoft and the SCO Group. The MyDoom virus is estimated to have caused $38 billion in damages.

8. Sasser

The Sasser virus was a type of worm that surfaced in 2004. Like the SQL Slammer virus, Sasser took advantage of a flaw in Microsoft’s software to gain access to computers. Once inside, the virus would crashed the victim’s computer.

Sasser was spread by email and infected more than 1 million computers within 10 days of its release. The virus caused an estimated $18 billion in damages.

9. Conficker

The Conficker virus is a type of malware that surfaced in 2008. The virus was spread via email, with the subject line “here you have” and attached file “body.”

When opened, the virus would install a program that allowed remote access to the infected computer. Conficker was also used to launch denial-of-service attacks against websites and to steal personal information like banking passwords. The virus is estimated to have affected more than 10 million computers and caused billions of dollars in damages.

10. Stuxnet

The Stuxnet virus is a type of malware that surfaced in 2010. The virus was designed to target industrial control systems, like the ones used in nuclear reactors.

Stuxnet is believed to have been created by the US and Israeli governments as part of a covert operation to damage Iran’s nuclear program. The virus is estimated to have caused $10 billion in damages.

What is the most widely-known computer virus?

The term “computer virus” is used to describe a piece of code that is capable of copying itself and infecting a computer without the user’s permission or knowledge. A virus can make copies of itself, corrupt files, and even delete files on a victim’s computer. The first known computer virus was created in 1971 by a PhD student at Stanford University.

While there are thousands of different types of computer viruses, the most well-known virus is probably the ILOVEYOU virus. This virus was first released in 2000 and quickly spread around the world, infecting over 50 million computers. The ILOVEYOU virus was spread through email attachments and caused significant damage, costing businesses billions of dollars in damages.

Other notable viruses include the Melissa virus, the Code Red virus, and the MyDoom virus. The Melissa virus was spread through email attachments and caused damage by causing infected computers to send out large amounts of email. The Code Red virus was a worm that spread itself by taking advantage of security vulnerabilities in Microsoft’s IIS web server software. The MyDoom virus was a worm that spread itself by taking advantage of security vulnerabilities in the Windows operating system.

While there are many different types of computer viruses, the most well-known virus is probably the ILOVEYOU virus. This virus was first released in 2000 and quickly spread around the world, infecting over 50 million computers. The ILOVEYOU virus was spread through email attachments and caused significant damage, costing businesses billions of dollars in damages.

Visit malwarezero.org to learn more about most dangerous computer virus. Disclaimer: We used this website as a reference for this blog post.