Which one of the following is actually considered as the first computer virus?

By: Prof. Dr. Fazal Rehman | Last updated: February 3, 2024

Question:  Which one of the following is actually considered as the first computer virus?

A Sasser

B  Blaster

C  Creeper

D  Both A and C
Answer:   Creeper

Virus Name Year of Discovery                                 Description
Creeper 1971 One of the earliest computer viruses, it displayed the message “I’m the creeper: catch me if you can!” and was designed to self-replicate.
Elk Cloner 1982 Targeted Apple II computers, spreading via infected floppy disks. It displayed a playful poem.
Brain 1986 The first IBM PC-compatible virus, known for spreading via infected boot sector of floppy disks.
Vienna 1987 Affected DOS systems, and it spread through infected EXE files.
Tequila 1991 Notable for infecting executable files and interrupting the boot process.
Michelangelo 1992 Gained attention for triggering on March 6th and potentially causing data loss.
Concept 1995 Spread via Microsoft Word macro viruses and marked an increase in macro malware.
Melissa 1999 A macro virus distributed via email, causing widespread disruption.
ILOVEYOU 2000 Infamous for spreading as an email attachment with a deceptive subject line.
Code Red 2001 A worm that targeted Microsoft IIS web servers and defaced websites.
Slammer (SQL Slammer) 2003 An SQL worm that spread rapidly and significantly slowed down the internet.
Mydoom 2004 One of the fastest-spreading worms, it could launch DDoS attacks and gather email addresses.
Sasser 2004 Targeted Windows systems, exploited LSASS vulnerability, and caused system reboots.
Blaster (MSBlast) 2003 Worm that exploited Windows DCOM RPC vulnerability and initiated system shutdowns.
Conficker 2008 Known for its sophisticated propagation methods and botnet capabilities.
Stuxnet 2010 A complex worm designed to target and sabotage industrial systems, notably Iran’s nuclear program.
WannaCry 2017 Ransomware that affected hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide.
NotPetya (Petya, ExPetr) 2017 A ransomware attack with worm-like capabilities, causing significant damage.
Ryuk 2018 A targeted ransomware known for demanding large ransoms from organizations.
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