most dangerous computer virus of all time
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- on Oct 11, 2022
What is the most dangerous computer virus of all time?
There are many computer viruses that have caused serious damage around the world, but there is one in particular that stands out as the most dangerous of all time. This virus is known as “WannaCry”, and it first began circulating in May of 2017.
WannaCry is a ransomware virus, which means that it encrypts victims’ files and then demands a ransom be paid in order to decrypt them. This particular virus was particularly dangerous because it took advantage of a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows that had been previously unknown. Once a computer was infected with WannaCry, all of the user’s files would be locked and a message would appear on the screen demanding a payment of $300 in Bitcoin in order to decrypt the files.
While WannaCry didn’t target any specific individuals or organizations, it ended up causing a tremendous amount of damage nonetheless. In total, it is estimated that WannaCry infected more than 200,000 computers in 150 different countries. One of the most notable victims of the virus was the UK’s National Health Service, which was hit particularly hard. The NHS was forced to cancel many appointments and surgeries as a result of the virus, and some patients even died as a direct result.
All in all, the WannaCry virus was a terrible event that caused a great deal of damage and disruption around the world. It’s estimated that the total cost of the damage caused by the virus was more than $4 billion, making it the most expensive virus in history. Thankfully, a cybersecurity researcher named Marcus Hutchins was able to find a “kill switch” that stopped the virus from spreading any further. However, the damage had already been done, and WannaCry will no doubt go down in history as the most dangerous computer virus of all time.
What is the most common computer virus?
The broadcast storm caused by the CIH virus is so intense that it can overload networks and disable them. The CIH virusfirst appeared in Taiwan in 1998, and exploitsthe infamous Microsoft Word 98 and Microsoft Excel 98 vulnerabilities that were unpatched at the time. CIH requires only that a user open an infected document or spreadsheet; no macro execution is needed. The virus payload can delete critical system files, making a computer unusable. CIH also overwrites the BIOS, making it difficult to recover an infected machine.
The WannaCry ransomware attack was unprecedented in its scale and scope. The WannaCry ransomware attack used a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows that was purportedly developed by the United States National Security Agency (NSA). The WannaCry ransomworm spread quickly across corporate networks around the world using the EternalBlue SMB exploit. Once a system was infected, the ransomware would encrypt important files and documents on the system and then display a ransom demand, asking for payment in the Bitcoin cryptocurrency. The WannaCry attack affected over 230,000 computers in 150 countries, and caused billions of dollars in damage.
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