5 Dangerous Computer Viruses that You Should Know

Perhaps everybody has suffered from computer viruses at least once per lifetime. This is when you have to surf the Net, trying to find an efficient solution, ask friends to help you or approach an IT expert. While sometimes, you can manage everything on your own, there are cases when you are one step from losing all information that is stored on your PC.  The reason is the most dangerous computer viruses that destroy even famous corporations and organizations. Knowing these viruses will help you keep all your information safe and prevent data leaks. Here is the chart of the most dangerous computer viruses of all times.

Melissa

It was created in 1999 by David L.Smith right at the time when people felt okay about following suspicious links. Melissa was introduced in the form of a Word document that promised to share passwords to 18+ sites. Many users who wanted to download the file and get access to this list received quite an unpleasant surprise instead.  Afterward, Melissa sent itself to 50 individuals from the address book of the individual, affecting email traffic all over the world.  The overall damage is worth $80.

ILOVEYOU

Filipino programmers developed another damaging computer virus, and its total damage is estimated between $10-$15 billion. The virus reaches the computer via e-mail and appears in the form of a love confession. When the person clicks on the attachment, the virus sends itself to every person from the email list. Also, it overwrites files and makes reloading the computer impossible. The program copies all passwords and sends them to the authors of the virus. Even large corporations had to shut down their email systems to prevent data leaks.

Sobig Worm

It appeared in August 2003 and was not an ordinary worm. Due to masking itself, Sobig Worm can be called a Trojan also.  It came with numerous variations, but the F variant seemed to be the most successful one. The virus usually comes in emails with Re as the subject. For instance, Re: Details, etc.  A large volume of emails was sent, slowing down the devices of large corporations. The overall damage was estimated at $37 billion.

Code Red

This virus was discovered in the summer, 2001. The worm caused incredible damage to the computers by sending random data. As a result, their memory was overwritten with new instructions. Some computers totally crashed while others sent a threat on the White House official site. Afterward, Code Red made at least its 100 copies and changed the local server pages. The virus damaged over a million computers at $2.6 billion.

MyDoom

MyDoom is at least a damaging virus in this list, but it is still a big threat to the stored information on the person’s PC. Craig Schmugar, who worked for McAfee at that time, noticed “mydom” text in the program’s code and decided to add doom. He thought that the final version of the worm would be huge, and he was right.  Soon, MyDoom was known as one of the quickest email worms that spread across the world. The worm was presented in the form of a transmission error of email with itself as an attachment. Once the person taps it, the virus sends a threat to all addresses from the book of the person. The damage from MyDoom is estimated at $38 billion.

How Can You Protect Your Data?

There are a few ways that you can use to protect your data from computer viruses. Look through all of them and prevent hackers from stealing the information from your PC.

Update your antivirus software

It is recommended to set automatic updates for all significant applications, including antivirus programs. In this case, you do not have to keep this point in your mind constantly and update the software manually each time. However, you should always check whether the programs are up-to-date, and the risks to catch computer viruses are minimal.

Be careful on public hotspots

Most people use Wi-Fi in public places as it is very convenient. But it is not recommended to check any sensitive data while being on these hotspots since hackers may attack your device. You can get a VPN for your device, like VeePN, to enjoy an enhanced layer of protection, and ensure the safety of your connection.

Do not click on attachments or links on doubtful emails

Email is one of the most traditional ways to attack your PC. If you have no idea who the letter is from, or it looks suspicious, just better avoid opening it, following an unknown link, or running the attachment.  Otherwise, you risk allowing hackers to steal sensitive data and get your financial information.

Avoid downloading files from suspicious sites

Most people like downloading things that are free of charge. At the same time, they can include an extra bonus in the form of adware/malware. You should be very careful on torrent websites, especially on that one which you are visiting for the first time.

Do not click on pop-ups

While navigating across a certain website, you may see a pop-up alert on your screen.  You are not recommended to click on it, as it may lead to the installation of adware/malware. As a result, your PC will be at risk of damaging or losing some significant information.

Final Remarks

An unprotected PC acts like a welcome door for numerous computer viruses. The hackers do their best to penetrate into the system of your device and get your personal information. Following all the above-mentioned tips will save you from both popular damaging computer viruses as well as new ones. Pay special attention to using a reliable VPN server because even if you avoid clicking suspicious links, pop-ups, downloading pirated files, and will remember to update your software, there is a risk of catching computer viruses.  A checked VPN tool, like VeePN, will provide you with extra protection and prevent the leak of your personal data.

Written by Conspiracy

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