Fiendishly stealthy and capable of rendering infected devices basically useless, the Michelangelo virus posed a serious threat.
Up-and-coming cybersecurity companies likeNortonandMcAfeeplayed a critical role, alerting consumers and companies to the Michelangelo threat while offering solutions.
What Does the Michelangelo Virus Do?
Once the virus is activated, any infected unit is basically bricked.
But most of the time, it does nothing.
The programs creator made it so that Michelangelo only activates once a year on March 6th.
When these devices are inserted into other computers, the infection spreads.
Once activated, Michelangelo overrides essential data on your hard drive, rendering your box unable to boot up.
As a result, its basically impossible to retrieve data from the infected unit.
As a result, any computer without countermeasures was at risk of massive data loss.
Some analysts suggested users manually adjust their system clocks and jump straight from March 5th to the 7th.
Obviously, this is an imperfect solution as it would require every computer user to perform an action.
And anyone forgetting to move their clock back would be stuck with a rig showing the wrong date.
Needless to say, people wanted a better solution.
They developed and distributed software capable of detecting and removing Michelangelo as it lay dormant.
Ultimately, the Michelangelo virus did not have the impact many feared it would.
Rather than millions of infections, no more than 20,000 cases were ever reported.
From theZeus virusand costlyransomwareto your everydaybrowser hijacker, the threats posed by malware are very real.
Is the Michelangelo Virus Still a Threat?
By the late 90s, reports of the virus became vanishingly rare.
And even then, thered be no way for the infection to spread.
That said, there are plenty of modern viruses infecting all kinds of devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I be worried about the Michelangelo virus?
No, its no longer a threat.The Michelangelo virus affected DOS-based computers in the early 90s.
You should still invest in a good antivirus likeNortonto address modern threats, even if Michelangelo isnt a threat.
When was the Michelangelo virus discovered?
This virus was first discovered in 1991, which was probably before some of you were born.
It was the firstmajor cybersecurity scare to rattle the world.
What is the best tool for removing the Michelangelo virus?
This is tough to answer as the Michelangelo virusisnt a threat these days.
Frankly, actually getting the virus would be a far bigger accomplishment than getting rid of it.
Michelangelo only infects DOS devices and those have been obsolete for 30 years.
How did the Michelangelo virus impact the world?
The Michelangelo virus may be the most important virus in history.
It sparked thefirst global discourseabout how serious cyber threats could be.
Massive companies and governments began to understand that they would need to be serious about building defenses against malware.
