w97m.melissa (13. 298)

Released into the wild on this day in 1999, the destructive macrovirus whose vector was infected email Word documents that propagated itself through accessing its victims’ Outlook address book established the articles of faith in cyber-security that are still prescribed to today of not clicking on unsolicited links, opening attachments and that Windows OS was and remains an open-target for hacking despite the fact that Apple operating systems are not immune.  Contemporary IT support reckoned that the Melissa virus cost hundreds of millions in man hours to contain damages and rebuild email servers, posted to a pornographic newsgroup by a hacker with the monicker Kwyjibo which quickly spread to corporate networks. Lingering and still actively trying to exploit vulnerabilities since paved over with multiple software patches to achieve herd immunity, it was the fastest spreading email worm.