Much of the world's transactions, whether it is business or personal, are now done online. From social interaction to keeping track of finances, the Internet is now a very large part of the average citizen's life. The Internet is not without its own set of risks, however. Should you encounter a virus, your private information could become compromised, data destroyed and hardware completely fried. Not all viruses are created equal, however. Some viruses have produced billions of dollars in damages. Here is a look at 10 of the most expensive computer viruses of all time, and how to avoid a similar devastation in the future.
MyDoom
The most devastating computer virus to date is MyDoom, which caused over $38 billion in damages. In addition to being the most expensive virus to date, its effects were far-reaching and fast-moving. When a user was infected with the virus it creates network openings which allowed others to have access to your computer. In addition, the virus also had the ability to open random programs. In 2004, an estimated 25% of all emails had been infected by the virus.
