Title: I LOVE YOU VIRUS

SUBTITLE: A CASE STUDY IN CYBERSECURITY VULNERABILITIES

PRESENTED BY: VAIDEHI RAJENDRA PATIL

DATE: 23/09/2024
Overview

• What Happened:
• The ILOVEYOU virus was a computer worm that spread rapidly through email
attachments in May 2000:.
• The virus infected over ten million Windows personal computers. It crippled
email services at almost every major military base in the United States.
Background

• The ILOVEYOU virus was a computer worm that spread rapidly across the
world in 2000, and was created by Onel de Guzman, a student at AMA
Computer College in the Philippines.
 De Guzman created the virus while struggling to pay for dial-up internet
access. He believed that internet access was a human right and proposed
developing a trojan to steal login details so that people could afford an
internet connection
 Timeline and location of the Attack

•Name: ILOVEYOU (or Love Bug)

•Date of Release: May 4, 2000

•Origin: The Philippines

•.
 Details of virus and its creator

•Type: Worm (a self-replicating program) with a payload (destructive component)

•Method of Propagation: Email

•Impact: Global, causing billions of dollars in damage

•Creator: The virus was believed to have been created by a Filipino programmer
named Onel de Guzman, though it remains a subject of debate
 Data and Systems Impacted

The ILOVEYOU virus damaged data and systems in many ways, including:

Overwriting files
The virus would overwrite important system files, causing computers to crash and data to be lost.

Sending copies of itself

The virus would send copies of itself to every contact in the user's email address book, disguised as a harmless
file attachment.

Clogging email servers

As the virus spread, email servers became clogged with the malicious emails.

Rendering computers unusable

The virus often rendered computers unusable.
What was the reason for the creation of the ILOVEYOU
virus

 In 2020, de Guzman was tracked down by journalists.

He told them that ILOVEYOU did not originally have a
mass mailing function for the Outlook address book,
and that he created the worm to steal passwords for
internet access because he couldn't afford to pay for it.
Scope of Impact

• Affected Services:
• The ILOVEYOU virus caused email servers to become clogged with
malicious emails after it spread around the world.
• The virus spread through email attachments with the subject line
"ILOVEYOU" and the attachment "LOVE-LETTER-FOR-YOU.TXT.vbs“.
• The attachment was a Visual Basic script (VBS) file that was hidden by
default in Windows computers, making it appear to be a normal text file.
The Atlanta Government Ransomware Attack
Archietecture
 Social Engineering Tactics

The Love You virus used a social engineering technique to trick people into opening the attachment. The message
implied personal communication (a "love letter"), which made it highly enticing, especially since it came from
someone they knew (since the virus spoofed the sender's email address).

 Emotional Appeal: The subject line "I love you" is universally appealing, creating a sense of urgency or
curiosity that encouraged users to open the attachment without thinking twice.

 Deceptive File Extension: Although the file was a script (.vbs), it appeared as a text file (.txt), which made
users less suspicious and more likely to open it.
 Response to the Attack

The ILOVEYOU virus was a computer virus that spread rapidly through email attachments in
2000, causing significant financial losses and downtime for businesses worldwide. The virus's
impact led to several important lessons, including:

Be aware of cyber threats: The ILOVEYOU virus highlighted the importance of being aware
of cyber threats and strengthening defenses against them.

Update systems: Keep systems up-to-date with the latest security patches.

Download from reliable sources: Only download files from reliable sources.

Delete suspicious emails: Delete suspicious emails without opening them.

Use anti-virus software: Use anti-virus software to identify potential threats.

Improve security: Security needs to be improved quickly

 Post-Attack Investigation

attachments with the subject line "ILOVEYOU". The virus was created by Onel de Guzman, a computer science student in Manila,
Philippines. The ILOVEYOU virus had a number of consequences, including:

Damage
The virus overwrote random files, including Office files and image files. It also destroyed files of types JPEG, MP3, VPOS, JS, JSE, CSS,
WSH, SCT, and HTA.

Spread
The virus spread quickly, copying itself to all addresses in the Windows Address Book used by Microsoft Outlook.

Impact
Up to 10% of internet-connected computers were infected, and the total damage was estimated at about $10 billion.

Media coverage
The incident was widely covered by the press, and there were even hearings in the U.S. Senate.

Email security
The virus put email security threats on the map in a way they had never been before.

Pentagon and CIA shutdown

The Pentagon and CIA shut down their email systems for a brief period of time.
Preventive Measures

 To prevent the ILOVEYOU virus and other computer viruses, you can:
 Install antivirus software: Use antivirus software to scan for and remove viruses, and to protect
your system from future viruses.
 Keep your software up to date: Regularly update your antivirus software and your operating
system.
 Run regular scans: Set your antivirus software to run scans at regular intervals, like once a week.
 Be careful with attachments: Never open an email attachment without scanning it first,
especially if the sender or attachment type is unknown.
 Avoid suspicious websites: Don't visit websites you don't trust, and don't click on shortened
URLs.
 Use secure passwords: Use several secure passwords to protect your personal information.
 Don't use unsecured Wi-Fi: Avoid using free, open Wi-Fi in public places like cafés, libraries, and
airports.
 Back up your files: Back up all your files as a form of protection.
 Lessons Learned

The ILOVEYOU virus, also known as the Love Bug or Loveletter, taught the world several important lessons about cyber security,
including:

Be aware of malicious software: Malicious software can spread quickly and cause significant financial losses.

Understand cyber threats: Learn how cyber threats work and how to protect yourself.

Develop good computing habits: Only download files from reliable sources, and don't open email attachments from unknown
sources.

Use anti-virus software: Use anti-virus software to identify potential viruses.

Stay up to date: Stay up to date on the latest news and trends in cyber security.

Be vigilant: Be vigilant and practice safe online habits to protect yourself from cyber threats.

Phishing techniques: Phishing techniques, such as emotional triggers and curiosity, can be used to breach security defenses.
Conclusion

 The Love You virus was a major event in the history of cybersecurity. It
highlighted the vulnerability of systems to both technical exploits and
human error, and it pushed organizations to adopt stronger email security
protocols, train users, and implement more robust disaster recovery and
data protection practices. While the virus itself caused significant
disruption, it also played a key role in shaping the modern cybersecurity
landscape.