Encyclopedia of Famous Computer Viruses

Computer viruses are malicious programs that can damage or disable computer systems and networks. They can spread from one computer to another through a variety of means, including email attachments, infected websites, and removable media.

Some of the most famous computer viruses of all time include:

ILOVEYOU (2000):

ILOVEYOU was a worm that spread via email attachments. It infected millions of computers worldwide and caused billions of dollars in damage. The worm disguised itself as a love letter, and when users opened the attachment, it executed a malicious script that damaged their computer files and spread the worm to other contacts.

Code Red(2001):

Code Red was a worm that targeted Microsoft IIS web servers. It infected millions of websites and caused widespread outages. The worm exploited a vulnerability in IIS to gain access to web servers and then install a malicious program that defaced websites and spread the worm to other servers.

Nimda (2001):

Nimda was a worm that spread through a variety of means, including email attachments, network shares, and web browsers. It infected millions of computers worldwide and caused billions of dollars in damage. The worm exploited vulnerabilities in Windows and Internet Explorer to gain access to computers and then install a malicious program that damaged files, disrupted networks, and spread the worm to other computers.

SQL Slammer (2003):

SQL Slammer was a worm that targeted Microsoft SQL Server databases. It infected millions of databases worldwide and caused widespread outages. The worm exploited a vulnerability in SQL Server to gain access to databases and then execute a malicious script that caused the databases to crash.

Mydoom (2004):

Mydoom was a worm that spread through email attachments. It infected millions of computers worldwide and caused billions of dollars in damage. The worm disguised itself as an email from a legitimate company, and when users opened the attachment, it executed a malicious script that damaged computer files, disrupted networks, and spread the worm to other contacts.

Conficker (2008):

Conficker was a worm that targeted Microsoft Windows systems. It infected millions of computers worldwide and caused billions of dollars in damage. The worm exploited a vulnerability in Windows to gain access to computers and then install a malicious program that created a botnet that could be used to launch attacks against other computers.

Stuxnet (2010):

Stuxnet was a worm that was specifically designed to attack industrial control systems. It is believed to have been developed by the United States and Israel to target Iran’s nuclear program. Stuxnet caused significant damage to Iran’s nuclear centrifuges, delaying its nuclear program by several years.

CryptoLocker(2013):

CryptoLocker was a ransomware virus that encrypted users' files and demanded a ransom payment in exchange for the decryption key. CryptoLocker infected millions of computers worldwide and caused billions of dollars in damage. The virus spread through email attachments and infected computers when users opened the attachments.

WannaCry (2017):

WannaCry was a ransomware virus that infected millions of computers worldwide and caused billions of dollars in damage. The virus spread through a vulnerability in Windows and encrypted users' files, demanding a ransom payment in exchange for the decryption key. WannaCry caused widespread outages in businesses and organizations around the world, including hospitals, banks, and government agencies.

Petya (2017):

Petya was a ransomware virus that infected millions of computers worldwide and caused billions of dollars in damage. The virus spread through email attachments and infected computers when users opened the attachments. Petya encrypted users' files and demanded a ransom payment in exchange for the decryption key. However, unlike CryptoLocker and WannaCry, Petya was designed to be destructive and could not be decrypted.

NotPetya (2017):

NotPetya was a ransomware virus that was initially disguised as an update to Petya. NotPetya was even more destructive than Petya and caused widespread outages in businesses and organizations around the world, including banks, government agencies, and shipping companies. NotPetya is believed to have been developed by Russia as a cyberweapon against Ukraine.

How to Protect Yourself from Computer Viruses

There are a number of things you can do to protect yourself from computer viruses, including:

Install and update antivirus software:

Antivirus software can help to detect and remove computer viruses. It is important to install antivirus software on all of your computers and devices and to keep it up to date.

Be careful about what email attachments you open:

Email attachments are a common way for computer viruses to spread. Be careful about what email attachments you open, especially if they are from unknown senders.