ILOVEYOU virus: 20 years after malware caused $ 10B loss worldwide

At the start of the millennium, a different virus has once baffled the world. With just one email, the I Love You virus has spread immediately, blocking computers, deleting files, and causing around $ 10 billion in damage at a glance.

On May 4, 2000, people around the world received emails with “ILOVEYOU” on the subject. The message read: “Please kindly check the attached LOVELETTER coming from me”.

The unsuspecting victims then opened the text file. Unfortunately, it was “an executable program” that allowed the virus to take over. It is a worm that replicated itself and sent copies of itself to everyone in the victim’s email address book.

The cycle continued, recipients continued to open the attachment and spread it further. Soon after, the office’s email servers were clogged when thousands of love letters came and went.

“This was not something that people were used to as a concept, they didn’t realize that email could be so dangerous,” Michael Gazeley told CNN as he recounted his experiences when the virus broke out. Gazely is a co-owner of the information security company, Network Box, located in Hong Kong.

It was worse than a simple chain letter. The ILOVEYOU virus soon destroyed the victim’s hard drive and erased numerous files.

The creator?

On May 11, international media flew to the Philippines to cover the arrest of a 23-year-old student who is said to have encoded the ILOVEYOU virus.

Onel de Guzmán wiped his sweat when journalists asked questions about how he was able to launch such a destructive program. His lawyer Rolando Quimbo claimed that De Guzmán did not even know if those alleged acts against him “were done by him.”

“So if you ask me if he was aware of the consequences or not, I would say he is not aware,” Atty said. Quimbo said.

No hard drives or files from De Guzman’s house were confiscated during the arrest. There were only a few computers, magazines, and accessories.

De Guzmán was accused of creating and spreading the “first truly global computer virus.” The ILOVEYOU virus paralyzed companies and government agencies worldwide. It has even affected the Pentagon and the British Parliament. Total damages were estimated up to $ 10 billion.

Two decades after the LoveBug

The ILOVEYOU virus remains an extremely destructive malware in history. People followed how authorities tracked down the virus maker while sweeping the covers.

Although the charges against De Guzmán were dropped due to insufficient evidence, this incident drew the attention of “a largely accommodating public” to be vigilant against the dangers of cyberattacks.

It also showed the vulnerabilities that still exist even after 20 years since the love bug came out.

“What is terrifying is that 20 years later, there are still many organizations that don’t take this seriously until they get hit,” Gazeley said, adding that people still don’t plan.

The director of the National Center for Infrastructure Protection (NIPC), Michael Vatis, said that it is still possible for people to fall into the same trap even with the advanced technologies available now.

“Humans are always the weak link,” said Vatis. “It’s almost always easier to exploit a human through a social engineering trick than to figure out, you know, some technological defensive measure.”

Vatis then compared the situation to people who avoid getting the annual flu, which doesn’t affect society until many people get sick.

Coincidentally, the world is now hit by another virus that affected 3,362,778 and killed 239,227 worldwide. There is still no approved cure or vaccine against coronavirus, which has paralyzed the economy and social activity worldwide.

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