Notable Cyber Viruses
The Creeper Virus (1971)
The first computer virus, a simple self-replicating program on ARPANET.
Brain Virus (1986)
A boot sector virus that spread via floppy disks, targeting IBM PCs.
The Morris Worm (1988)
One of the first worms to spread across the internet, affecting Unix systems.
Michelangelo Virus (1991)
A virus that activated on March 6, overwriting data on the infected system.
CIH (Chernobyl) Virus (1998)
One of the most destructive viruses, overwriting data and corrupting BIOS.
ILOVEYOU Virus (2000)
A devastating email worm that caused over $10 billion in damage globally.
Code Red (2001)
A worm that targeted Microsoft IIS servers, spreading rapidly across the internet.
Nimda (2001)
A worm that spread through email, network drives, and websites, causing massive disruption.
Blaster Worm (2003)
A worm that exploited a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows, causing system crashes.
Sasser Worm (2004)
A worm that spread through a vulnerability in Windows, causing system shutdowns.
MyDoom (2004)
A worm that caused widespread damage, resulting in significant internet slowdowns.
Storm Worm (2007)
A Trojan horse that created a massive botnet, used for DDoS attacks and spam campaigns.
Conficker (2008)
A worm that created a massive botnet, affecting millions of computers worldwide.
Zeus Trojan (2007)
A Trojan that stole financial data and credentials, spreading via phishing emails.
Stuxnet (2010)
A sophisticated worm targeting Iran's nuclear facilities, considered a cyber act of war.
CryptoLocker (2013)
A ransomware virus that encrypted user files and demanded Bitcoin for decryption.
WannaCry (2017)
A global ransomware attack that exploited a vulnerability in Windows, causing widespread damage.
Petya (2016)
A ransomware attack that encrypted users' hard drives, preventing them from booting up their systems.
Emotet (2014)
A Trojan horse that evolved into a major malware distributor and botnet.
Ryuk (2018)
A ransomware strain targeting high-value entities like businesses and government institutions.
TrickBot (2016)
A banking Trojan turned botnet, used to distribute other forms of malware, including ransomware.
Locky (2016)
A ransomware strain that spread primarily through email attachments, causing widespread damage.
Notable Data Breaches
Yahoo Data Breach (2013)
One of the largest data breaches in history, affecting over 3 billion accounts.
Marriott International Breach (2014-2018)
Compromised the personal data of 500 million guests over four years.
Equifax Data Breach (2017)
Exposed the personal information of 147 million people, including Social Security numbers.
Aadhaar Data Breach (2018)
Potentially exposed the personal details of 1.1 billion Indian citizens.
Facebook Data Breach (2019)
Exposed 540 million user records stored on unsecured servers.
Collection #1 Data Breach (2019)
Leaked 770 million email addresses and 21 million unique passwords.
CAM4 Data Breach (2020)
Exposed over 10.88 billion records from an adult streaming platform.
Advanced Info Service (AIS) Breach (2020)
Leaked 8.3 billion DNS query logs, revealing users' internet activity.
Whisper Data Breach (2020)
900 million user records were exposed, including location and group memberships.
T-Mobile Data Breach (2021-2023)
Multiple breaches exposed millions of customers' personal information.
Snowflake Data Breach (2024)
Compromised data from 165 companies, including Ticketmaster and AT&T.
Change Healthcare Ransomware Attack (2024)
Disrupted medical services and affected over 100 million individuals.
National Public Data Breach (2024)
Exposed sensitive information of 1.3 million individuals.
Total Tools Data Breach (2024)
Compromised credit card numbers, emails, and login details of 38,000 customers.
North Korean Cryptocurrency Thefts (2024)
Hackers stole $1.34 billion in digital assets to fund weapons programs.
Cybersecurity Tips
- Use strong, unique passwords for every account.
- Regularly update your software to patch vulnerabilities.
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible.
- Be cautious of phishing scams and suspicious emails.