The LoveLetter Virus

The introduction of reliable, speedy broadband networks allowed malware to spread via email, popular websites or directly over the internet. Malware is an umbrella term for malicious software such as viruses, worms and Trojans.

The LoveLetter appeared on May 4, 2000. Unlike the macro viruses that dominated the threat landscape since 1995, it came as a VBS file. The subject line was "I Love You," and the email contained an attachment, "LOVE-LETTER-FOR-YOU-TXT.vbs."

Onel de Guzman designed his worm to overwrite existing files and replace them with copies of itself.