It’s evening and you’re at home, sitting quietly at your desk with a cup of coffee or glass of wine, winding down from the day, checking social media, and clicking through your emails when – suddenly and without warning – you click a link and your computer goes berserk.
You, my friend, have just contracted a computer virus. It can delete files, display mischievous or devious messages, corrupt data, steal financial information, or forcibly email itself to all of your contacts.
Yikes.
It’s common knowledge that computer viruses are a pain in the you-know-what. What you may not know, however, is that small businesses are increasingly at risk, and the costs related to cybersecurity breaches are also increasing. It’s projected that by the end of 2016, computer hackers using viruses and other tools will have cost companies across the globe a total of $445 billion. But here’s a question we bet you’ve never asked yourself: What if those same computer viruses could infect not only our computers, but our bodies? What havoc would they wreak? How contagious would each one be?
Curious? So were we, which is why we conducted this creative speculation using real computer viruses:
The ILOVEYOU Virus
It’s no secret that we humans all just want a little lovin’, which is why the ILOVEYOU virus starts with a cute little email titled “I LOVE YOU.” Cute, right?
Except, it’s not – not at all. Because once you open up this virus, it destroys your photos and files (bid farewell to that epic shot of Fluffy and – even worse – that Year in Review report you’ve been working on for three months) and then spreads itself via email to your other contacts. It was estimated that the cost of this virus for businesses and government organizations was around $15 billion dollars!
If the virus could jump out of the computer and into your head, you’d be strolling through the office ripping your photos and files to shreds, then burning them to a cindery non-existence, all while passing the “love” onto the person in the next cubicle.
The PoisonIvy Virus
Sneaky as they come, the PoisonIvy virus’ goal is to secretly control a program, computer, or whole network. Once downloaded, the virus takes over – not only does it have access to all of your files, but it can turn on your webcam, activate your speaker, and record audio and video.
If this virus was in the real world, it would be like contracting Alzheimers – thus allowing bad actors to easily take your passwords and private data without your permission, then use that for their own purposes or to sell it to others.
The Ransomware Virus
Give us all your money or your data is gone forever!
Sound familiar? This common virus is increasingly playing out on computer screens across the world – with a black screen telling those who’ve contracted it that if they wire a lot of money to an anonymous account, they can have their computer files back. If not? Those computer files – the photos of your last vacation, the novel you’ve been working on for 10 years, the business data you’ve been meaning to back up – are locked up forever. The FBI has noted that there has been a 300% increase in attacks from January 2015 to January 2016 – which means over 4000 attacks in the U.S. every day!
If this virus were a real-world threat, it would hold your life hostage like someone purposefully making you have an allergic reaction and then demanding money for an adrenaline shot. And all because of a simple accidental download!
The Adware Virus
If you’ve never encountered adware, you’re one of the lucky few. Many of us are all too familiar with the never-ending parade of advertising windows, each worse and more offensive than the last, that take over a computer after an accidental download.
In real life, adware would be like acne – on steroids. Pop one pimple and two more take its place. Pop those two and get yourself four.
The Malicious Internet … And How to Stay Safe
While the idea of computer viruses getting into our own bloodstreams is a decidedly fictional one, the danger these viruses pose to your computers and data is not. A virus can steal your private information, your identity, the files you value, or your financial information. It can hold your data hostage and can even turn your computer against you, using your own video and audio tools to record you against your will. The U.S. government and other government entities around the world are currently trying to deal with issues related to cybersecurity.
We’re joining millions of security-concerned citizens nationwide during National Cyber Security Awareness Month to remind you that viruses are no joke and that we should take measures to protect ourselves as best we can. We encourage you to print out these “hacked” World War II posters to remind those in your workplace that cyber safety is everybody’s responsibility!
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SOURCES
- http://vxheaven.org/lib/static/vdat/misc0016.htm
- http://www.pcworld.com/article/206107/most_dangerous_places_on_the_web.html
- http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/top-ten-most-destructive-computer-viruses-159542266/
- https://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2016/feb/08/huge-rise-hack-attacks-cyber-criminals-target-small-businesses
- http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/14/business/smallbusiness/no-business-too-small-to-be-hacked.html?_r=0
- http://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/04/cybersecurity-experts-convene-at-cnbc-summit-as-threats-loom.html
- http://www.govtech.com/security/Legislating-Cybersecurity-Lawmakers-Recognize-Their-Responsibility-with-Cyberthreats.html
- http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/EU-Member-Countries-Agree-on-New-Cyber-Security-Law-20151208-0005.html
- http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/ransomware-evolves-education-edges-healthcare-biggest-target-says-new-report
- http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0512/10-of-the-most-costly-computer-viruses-of-all-time.aspx
- https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/ransomware-prevention-and-response-for-cisos.pdf/view
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