The Top 10 Most Dangerous Computer Viruses
in the World
1. Conficker
Conficker, also known as Downadup, is a notorious computer worm that first surfaced in 2008. The worm targets unpatched Windows computers and exploits a critical flaw in the Operating System in order to gain control of the victim’s machine. Once a machine is infected, the worm attempts to spread itself to other computers on the same network.
Conficker has caused millions of dollars in damages and it is still active today. In 2011, a group of security researchers launched a global effort to take down the worm, but so far they have been unsuccessful.
2. Stuxnet
Stuxnet is a computer worm that was first discovered in 2010. The worm targets industrial control systems and is believed to be responsible for causing significant damage to Iran’s nuclear program.
The worm is believed to have been created by the United States and Israel in order to sabotage Iran’s nuclear program. Stuxnet is considered to be the most sophisticated piece of malware ever created and it is estimated that it cost millions of dollars to develop.
3. Cryptolocker
Cryptolocker is a type of ransomware that was first discovered in 2013. The malware encrypts victim’s files and demands a ransom in order to decrypt them.
Cryptolocker has caused millions of dollars in damages and has been responsible for infecting hundreds of thousands of computers. The malware has been particularly effective at infecting businesses, who often ransom the encrypted files in order to avoid the significant downtime associated with losing important data.
4. Zeus
Zeus is a type of malware that is used to steal victim’s banking information. The malware is typically spread through phishing emails that trick the user into clicking on a malicious link.
Once Zeus infects a machine, it can be used to steal victim’s banking login credentials and other sensitive information. Zeus is believed to have caused millions of dollars in damages and is still active today.
5. WannaCry
WannaCry is a ransomware that surfaced in 2017 and quickly spread around the globe. The ransomware encrypts victim’s files and demands a ransom in order to decrypt them.
WannaCry was particularly notable because it exploited a critical flaw in the Windows Operating System in order to spread itself. The flaw had been discovered and fixed by Microsoft prior to the outbreak, but many organizations had not yet applied the patch.
As a result, WannaCry was able to spread quickly and cause significant damage. The ransomware is estimated to have caused over $4 billion in damages and infected over 200,000 computers in 150 countries.
6. NotPetya
NotPetya is a ransomware that surfaced in 2017. The ransomware initially spread through a malicious update for the Ukrainian accounting software MEDoc.
Once a machine was infected, the ransomware would encrypt victim’s files and demand a ransom in order to decrypt them. However, unlike other ransomware, the encryption key generated by NotPetya was not unique to each victim, making it impossible to decrypt the files even if the ransom was paid.
NotPetya is estimated to have caused over $10 billion in damages and is considered to be one of the most destructive malware outbreaks in history.
7. Mirai
Mirai is a type of malware that turns victim’s devices into part of a botnet. The botnet can then be used to launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.
Mirai was responsible for launching some of the largest DDoS attacks in history, including an attack on the website of the cybersecurity firm Symantec and an attack on the domain name service provider Dyn.
8. Ember.js
Ember.js is a type of malware that infects devices running the Linux operating system. The malware turns the infected device into part of a botnet that can be used to launch DDoS attacks.
Ember.js was first discovered in 2014 and has been used in a number of high-profile DDoS attacks, including an attack on the website of the cybersecurity firm Kaspersky and an attack on the website of the Russian news outlet RT.
9. Elixir Sopo
Elixir Sopo is a type of malware that targets the Android operating system. The malware turns infected devices into part of a botnet that can be used to launch DDoS attacks.
Elixir Sopo was first discovered in 2013 and has been used in a number of high-profile DDoS attacks, including an attack on the website of the Russian news outlet Gazeta.ru and an attack on the website of the Russian search engine Yandex.
10. GhostCtrl
GhostCtrl is a type of malware that targets the Android operating system. The malware allows attackers to take control of infected devices and access sensitive data.
GhostCtrl was first discovered in 2016 and has been used in a number of high-profile attacks, including an attack on the messaging app Telegram that allowed attackers to remotely login to victim’s accounts. View it
The most dangerous computer viruses today
There are many computer viruses that are released every day, but some are more dangerous than others. Below is a list of the most dangerous computer viruses that are released today:
1.CryptoLocker
CryptoLocker is a ransomware virus that was first released in September 2013. This virus encrypts the victim’s files using a strong encryption algorithm, making them impossible to open without the decryption key. The virus then demands a ransom from the victim in order to receive the decryption key.
2.WannaCry
WannaCry is a ransomware virus that was released in May 2017. This virus encrypts the victim’s files using a strong encryption algorithm and then demands a ransom from the victim in order to receive the decryption key.
3.Stuxnet
Stuxnet is a virus that was first released in 2010. It is believed to be the first virus that was specifically designed to target industrial control systems. This virus is particularly dangerous because it is able to cause physical damage to the equipment that it infects.
4.Duqu
Duqu is a virus that was first released in 2011. It is very similar to the Stuxnet virus, except that it is designed to collect information instead of causing physical damage.
5.Flame
Flame is a virus that was first released in 2012. It is a very sophisticated virus that is able to collect a wide range of information from the victim’s computer.
6.Gauss
Gauss is a virus that was first released in 2012. It is very similar to the Flame virus, except that it is designed to steal online banking credentials.
7.Sony Picture’s Virus
Sony Picture’s Virus is a virus that was released in November 2014. This virus was designed to encrypt the victim’s files and then demand a ransom from the victim in order to receive the decryption key.
8.TeslaCrypt
TeslaCrypt is a virus that was first released in February 2015. This virus is designed to encrypt the victim’s files and then demand a ransom from the victim in order to receive the decryption key.
9. Locky
Locky is a virus that was first released in February 2016. This virus is designed to encrypt the victim’s files and then demand a ransom from the victim in order to receive the decryption key.
10. Petya/NotPetya
Petya/NotPetya is a virus that was first released in June 2017. This virus is designed to encrypt the victim’s hard drive and then demands a ransom from the victim in order to receive the decryption key.
Visit malwarezero.org to learn more about what was the most dangerous computer virus. Disclaimer: We used this website as a reference for this blog post.