What are the most dangerous pc viruses?
Most dangerous computer viruses
Computer viruses are a type of malicious code or program that are written to change, delete, or otherwise damage data on your computer. As their name suggests, viruses are often spread by email attachments or by downloading files from the internet, and can cause serious harm to your computer if left unaddressed.
While there are many different types of computer viruses, some are more dangerous than others. Below, we’ve listed the most dangerous viruses that you should be on the lookout for:
1. WannaCry
WannaCry is a ransomware virus that first surfaced in May 2017. The virus quickly spread across the globe, affecting more than 200,000 organizations in over 150 countries. WannaCry encrypts files on infected computers and demands a ransom payment in order to decrypt them.
While WannaCry has mostly been contained, it’s still considered one of the most dangerous computer viruses in existence. This is because the virus exploits a critical vulnerability in Windows that has still not been fully patched by Microsoft. As such, WannaCry could still potentially infect millions of computers that haven’t been updated with the latest security fixes.
2. NotPetya
NotPetya is another ransomware virus that first appeared in June 2017. Unlike WannaCry, however, this virus was designed specifically to target organizations, rather than individual users.
NotPetya quickly spread across corporate networks, causing major disruptions at organizations such as Maersk, Merck, and FedEx. The virus encrypted victims’ hard drives and demanded a ransom payment in Bitcoin in order to decrypt them.
However, it soon became clear that the creators of NotPetya had no intention of actually decrypting files, even if victims paid the ransom. This, combined with the fact that the virus was purposely designed to spread quickly and cause as much damage as possible, makes NotPetya one of the most dangerous computer viruses in recent memory.
3. Zeus
Zeus is a type of malware that’s specifically designed to steal online banking information. The virus first appeared in 2007 and quickly became a major threat to online users, particularly in the United States.
Once Zeus infects a computer, it will secretly record the victim’s keystrokes in an effort to steal passwords and other sensitive information. This information can then be used to commit identity theft or empty the victim’s bank account.
Zeus is still considered a major threat today, and has been responsible for stealing millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims.
4. Conficker
Conficker is a worm virus that first surfaced in 2008 and quickly became one of the most widespread malware threats in history. The virus is designed to infect computers and spread itself to other machines on the same network.
Once a computer is infected with Conficker, the virus can be used to disable security features, install other malware, or even take control of the infected machine altogether. The virus has also been known to steal sensitive information such as passwords and financial data.
Conficker is still an active threat today, and continues to infect computers around the world.
5. STUXNET
STUXNET is a computer worm that was first discovered in 2010. The virus is believed to have been created by the United States and Israel in an effort to sabotage Iran’s nuclear program.
STUXNET specifically targets industrial control systems, and is designed to damage or destroy physical equipment. The virus was successful in infecting the Iranian nuclear facility at Natanz and causing significant damage to the centrifuges that were being used there.
While STUXNET was originally designed as a targeted attack, the virus has since spread beyond its intended targets. As such, STUXNET is now considered one of the most dangerous computer viruses in the world, as it could potentially be used to cause large-scale destruction.
These are just a few of the most dangerous computer viruses that you should be aware of. Remember to always practice safe computing habits, such as not opening email attachments from unknown sender, and only downloading files from trusted websites. By doing so, you can help protect your computer from these and other threats.
What is the most destructive computer virus in history?
The most destructive computer virus in history is the WannaCry virus. This virus encrypted files on infected computers and demanded a ransom be paid in order to decrypt the files. This virus caused billions of dollars in damage and affected hundreds of thousands of computer systems around the world.
Visit malwarezero.org to learn more about most dangerous pc viruses. Disclaimer: We used this website as a reference for this blog post.