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. |