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10 Most Dangerous Computer Viruses In The History

10 Most Dangerous Computer Viruses In The History, Mydoom, SoBig, Sasser, ILOVEYOU, NotPretya/ExPetr, StromWorm, Conficker, WannaCry, Coder Red, .....

10 Most Dangerous Computer Viruses In The History

10 Most Dangerous Computer Viruses In The History Computer viruses are still a major threat. Most of them do not cause as much damage as they did in the past, but that does not mean they should be taken lightly. But, let us tell you. some of them can delete, corrupt, or steal your data and stop your system from functioning properly. Some of them can also send spam to those in your contact list or online friends and family, which is embarrassing. Computer viruses and malware are often disguised as innocent files that are easy to download on the internet but can have disastrous consequences. So make sure that you understand how to protect yourself from these malicious programs! This post will provide you with an overview of the most dangerous computer viruses ever. It is up to you to learn how these viruses work and how to protect your PC from threats like these. So, here are the 10 Most Dangerous Computer Viruses In The History
  1. Mydoom
  2. SoBig
  3. Sasser
  4. ILOVEYOU
  5. NotPretya/ExPetr
  6. StormWorm
  7. Conficker
  8. WannaCry
  9. Coder Red
  10. Slammer

Mydoom
Isolated Date: 2004
Estimated cost: $38 billion

Mydoom was created by an anonymous programmer, Mydoom was a nasty little virus that mostly affected Windows XP. Mydoom is a Worm that infects Windows operating systems and was used extensively in a variety of attacks, such as the hacks on Sony Pictures in 2014. The first infected email was sent in late 2006. It was famously known for infecting in the compromise of hundreds of millions of email addresses and hundreds of millions of users. Mydoom infected 25% of whole emails in 2004. Mydoom used to have a ransom function that was to be paid in the form of gift certificates or some sort of digital currency in order to gain access to infected computers. Mydoom is another virus that was created to trick users into getting infected with malware. It caused so much damage to computers and people that it has become one of the most infamous viruses ever.


SoBig
Isolated Date: 2003
Estimated cost: $37 billion

SoBig was another nasty piece of malware, created by a Russian programmer. The virus spread rapidly and spread through various Windows versions. SoBig was an exploit of the OpenSSL web encryption system and was used to spread via exploit kits. SoBig was capable of spreading to about one thousand devices in a single day and was also able to encrypt the hard drives on affected machines.

Sasser
Isolated Date: 2004
Estimated cost: $31 billion

Sasser was known primarily as a backdoor, Sasser was built by Artem Sytnik and was in fact the largest piece of malware in the history of the world. Sasser is an example of a Trojan horse malware that takes control of a system and even installs additional malware onto the system. Sasser was the most destructive virus that caused major problems worldwide in 2007-2008. The virus caused so much damage, in fact, that the United States Federal Trade Commission reported that it would need to refund any of its users' payments to credit card companies. Sasser proved to be very resilient and actually forced security researchers to refer to it as the perfect virus for spreading. 

ILOVEYOU
Isolated Date: 2000
Estimated cost: $15 billion

ILOVEYOU is an open-source backdoor known as “LoveBug.” This malware is specifically designed for Windows versions 3 and later. LoveBug was also able to spread in infected software downloaded from third-party sources. ILOVEYOU is the name of one of the most notorious computer viruses ever created, and what started as a joke became an epidemic. As the first instance when a worm could replicate itself without user intervention, ILOVEYOU caused an estimated $15 billion in damages worldwide. A worm is a type of computer virus that spreads through email by sending copies of itself to addresses found in infected computers' contact lists. ILOVEYOU was programmed to send itself to all of the contacts on an infected system's Microsoft Outlook address book.

NotPretya/ExPetr
Isolated Date: 2017
Estimated cost: $10 billion

A virus created by a single person was capable of bringing down entire Ukraine’s power grid, according to reports. It has been discovered to affect both Windows and Unix. With a big price tag and myriad attacks, it is one of the biggest threats in the history of malicious software. Sasser A worm was reportedly responsible for the Black Monday stock market crash. The virus was allegedly created by Rodrick Wilks of the United States, who was also behind the Stuxnet virus. This virus was believed to be used in cyber-attacks against Iran’s nuclear program. The virus was discovered in October 2007. Sasser spread quickly, spreading from Macs to Windows systems. Victims suffered millions of dollars in losses, even though they were warned about the virus.

StormWorm
Isolated Date: 2007
Estimated cost: $10 billion

StormWorm is a computer virus that infects your computer and steals information. It is most commonly found in email attachments or by clicking on links to websites containing the virus. Once StormWorm is installed on your computer, it will search for personal information such as credit card numbers, bank account credentials, and other personal data. This information can be used to steal from you. This information could also be used to commit fraud or identity theft. To avoid infection with the StormWorm virus, only download attachments from people you know and consider whether the link you are about to click might contain this malware. If you are unsure whether the attachment contains malware, do not open it. StormWorm caused an estimated $10 billion worldwide. 

Conficker
Isolated Date: 2008
Estimated cost: $9.1 billion

Conficker is one of the most notorious viruses ever, probably because people were not educated to be careful with computers. The author of the virus used it to create a botnet and rob millions of dollars from online banks. The name of the virus is Conficker. The worm, created to steal information, went unnoticed until 2004 when it infected around 2 million computers around the world. By 2016, the number of infected computers had reached 300 million. In February 2008, a different strain of the Conficker worm started spreading over the internet. Like Conficker, Sasser had no destructive intent and didn’t infect computers to collect passwords and credit card numbers. However, according to security experts, the worm affected some 40 million people.

WannaCry
Isolated Date: 2017
Estimated cost: $4 billion

In 2017, the WannaCry ransomware virus reared its head on a large scale, overwhelming the National Health Service in several countries. The malware also impacted large businesses and corporations in Europe, North America, and Asia. The virus contained some malware tools that were used by the NSA and revealed the agency’s role in malware development and widespread data surveillance. It was estimated that around 300,000 computers in over 150 countries were affected by the virus. Not pretty. SoBig / Sasser / So-Called “Kryptowire” (Locky) So Big It is well-known that the NSA has been responsible for the development and distribution of ransomware, as documented in documents leaked by former NSA contractor, Edward Snowden.

Coder Red
Isolated Date: 2001
Estimated cost: $2 billion

Coder Red Virus is one of these malicious programs that can do all these things if it enters your computer. It has been around since September 2017 and was created by the hacking group going by the name of PyRoTexT. It was initially designed to target Polish computers but has now spread to other countries as well.


Slammer
Isolated Date: 2003
Estimated cost: $1.2 billion

Slammer is a worm that targets Microsoft SQL Server. The virus was created by a hacker known as "Rampage" in January 2003. It has the capability to send 50,000 packets of data per second, which causes a denial-of-service attack on targeted servers. Slammer was so fast it spread worldwide within 10 minutes and caused the first worm epidemic. Slammer quickly infected more than 75,000 hosts within 10 minutes. Slammer's effects were minimized due to its design flaws and fixes in Microsoft Windows NT Service Pack 4 and Windows 2000 Service Pack 2, which were released prior to the attack.


The Bottom Line
A new form of malware has been making its rounds on the web. Spyware like Pegasus is a sophisticated form of spyware that can track your every move using your phone camera, microphone, and data. Once installed it's impossible to detect, so you won't know it's there until it's too late. Unbeknownst to people, this type of malware is often pre-installed on a phone by the manufacturer or mobile carrier. It has also been found in different versions of popular apps like Facebook, Messenger, and WhatsApp. In this article, We have discussed what are the 10 most dangerous computer viruses in the history. So, be conscious to protect yourself from these computer viruses. 
SurfTheKnowledge is a technology website where you can get the latest Science & Technology News, Gadgets Updates & Reviews, along with various Life, Travel, and Business Hacks.

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