What Was the ILOVEYOU Virus?

On May 5, 2000, a new computer virus swept the Internet. Unlike most viruses at the time, which were designed to damage or corrupt files, the ILOVEYOU virus, also known as the Love Bug and the Love Better for You, was simple but effective: it sent a message to all of the user’s contacts that said “I love you,” disguising itself as a love confession letter. This friendly-sounding message was actually a malicious exploit that caused widespread damage. Within days, the virus had infected millions of computers and caused an estimated $10 billion in damages, making it the worst computer virus in history. So what exactly made this virus so dangerous, and how did managed IT services in Orange County manage to fight back against it? Read on to find out!

Nowadays, it would be easy to spot an email that says ILOVEYOU as malware, but back in 2000, it wasn’t as simple, especially if you weren’t employed at a company specializing in managed IT services in Orange County, CA. The virus originated in the city of Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, created by Onel de Guzman, who was 24 years old at the time. He has previously stated that he created the virus alone and that it was not a part of a conspiracy, but others have claimed that his friend, Reonel Ramones, helped him create ILOVEYOU. It is estimated that about ten percent of computers across the entire world were affected by this virus. That’s 55 million computers! The virus was able to get into the systems of large corporations, deleting important files and finding the email addresses of important business people. At the time, most private-sector companies used Outlook, which forced them to have to take their email servers down. Imagine having to shut down all the hard work your managed IT service provider in Orange County set up for you. It was more than just a bummer.

So how exactly did Microsoft manage to win the battle against this pesky virus? Great question! Their plan to defeat the ILOVEYOU virus was actually quite brilliant. The company released an emergency patch for their operating system that blocked all ports except those used by email programs and other legitimate software on a user’s computer, effectively shutting out this malicious code from spreading any further within networks or throughout communities where people use common internet connections (such as at home). This decision prevented many innocent victims around the world from getting infected with LOVE Bombs – until hackers found ways around these blocking measures too!

Once its origin was traced back to them, De Guzman and Ramones were both arrested by Filipino police. However, all charges against them were dropped since there were no anti-malware laws in place at the time. However, the incident did spark these laws to be proposed and approved by legislators. De Guzman dropped out of AMA Computer College during his last year of study. Now in his mid-40s, de Guzman is said to be running a mobile phone repair stand in Manila. He prefers to stay out of the public eye and considers the ILOVEYOU incident to be a part of his past. 

Were you on the Internet during this massive mishap? If so, were you affected by the ILOVEYOU virus? Nowadays, you can protect yourself from computer viruses by hiring esteemed Orange County Managed IT services for your home office as well as your entire company.