The most dangerous computer virus ever: the story of the Bagel virus
The most dangerous computer virus ever: the story of the Bagel virus
In the early hours of 6 March 1996, a computer technician in Australia received a curious email. It was from a friend, and it contained an attachment. When he opened it, his computer screen went black. A message appeared, informing him that his system had been infected by a virus.
The technician’s computer was one of the first to be hit by the Bagel virus. Named after the doughnut-shaped bread, Bagel was a destructive piece of malware that quickly spread around the world. Within days, it had infected tens of thousands of computers, causing millions of dollars of damage.
Bagel was created by a group of Russian hackers known as the “Killer Mice”. Their intention was to create a virus that would be difficult to detect and remove. To this end, they succeeded.
Bagel was a “stealth” virus, meaning that it could hide itself inside other programs and files. It would then remain inactive until a specific condition was met, at which point it would activate and begin replicating itself.
Bagel was also equipped with a “destructive payload”. This is a piece of code that is designed to damage or delete files on an infected computer. In the case of Bagel, the payload was triggered if the virus had remained inactive for 30 days.
Once activated, Bagel would search for certain types of files, such as Word documents and Excel spreadsheets. It would then encrypt these files using a strong cipher, rendering them unusable. Finally, it would display a message demanding a ransom be paid in order to decrypt the files.
Bagel was the first virus to use this type of “ransomware” attack. Ransomware is now one of the most common and most lucrative types of malware.
The Killer Mice group behind Bagel were caught and arrested in 1997. However, the damage they had caused was already done. The Bagel virus was a wake-up call to the security community, and it ushered in a new era of malicious software.
Today, ransomware is more sophisticated and destructive than ever. In 2017, the WannaCry ransomware attack hit computers in 150 countries, causing billions of dollars of damage. In 2019, the Sodinokibi ransomware attack encrypts files on infected computers and threatens to delete them if a ransom is not paid.
Ransomware is a serious threat, and it is only getting more sophisticated. As long as there are people willing to pay the ransom, ransomware will continue to be a major problem.
If you have been infected by ransomware, the best thing you can do is to restore your files from a backup. If you don’t have a backup, then you’re out of luck.
Paying the ransom is not recommended, as there is no guarantee that you will get your files back. Additionally, paying the ransom only encourages the attackers and funds their future efforts.
The best way to protect yourself from ransomware is to have a good backup strategy in place. Backups should be kept offline, on a separate storage device, such as an external hard drive. Additionally, you should use a reputable antivirus program and keep it up-to-date. Published here
The most dangerous computer virus ever: the story of the Anna Kournikova virus
In the early 2000s, a computer virus emerged that would go on to become one of the most destructive and infamous viruses of all time. The Anna Kournikova virus, also known as the “I Love You” virus, caused billions of dollars in damage and wreaked havoc on computer systems around the world.
The virus was first released on May 4, 2000, and it spread rapidly, infecting millions of computers in just a matter of hours. The virus was spread via email, with users receiving an email that appeared to be from a friend or colleague. The email contained an attachment that, when opened, would install the virus on the victim’s computer.
Once the virus was installed, it would replicate itself and send itself out to everyone in the victim’s address book. The virus would also change the victim’s computer wallpaper to a picture of Anna Kournikova, the Russian tennis player, and display the following message:
“I Love You, Anna
Thank you for opening this file. I love you, I really do. I created this file just for you, and you’re the first person to open it. Please, Infant, I beg of you, don’t tell anyone else about this file. I know how you feel, and I just want to protect you.
Love always, your secret admirer.”
The message was signed with the name “John”, leading many to believe that the virus was created by a man named John in order to spread his love for Anna Kournikova. However, the virus was actually created by two Filipino programmers, Onel de Guzman and Reomel Ramones.
The virus caused billions of dollars in damage, with estimates ranging from $5-$10 billion. The virus impacted companies and organizations around the world, including Microsoft, Yahoo!, Amazon, and even the Pentagon. The virus also caused a great deal of inconvenience, with many people unable to access their email or use their computers for days or even weeks.
The Anna Kournikova virus was eventually brought under control and stopped from spreading any further. However, the damage had been done, and the virus remains one of the most destructive and notorious viruses of all time.
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