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The Love Bug virus cripples computers around the globe

Broadcast Date: May 5, 2000

The Love Bug has stung computers around the globe with a destructive, self-replicating worm. This morning millions of people logged onto their computers to find e-mails with the subject line, "I Love You." When opened, the e-mail launched a virus that erased files and sent out "I Love You" e-mails to everyone in their address books. In Canada, 17 federal departments were crippled and offices came to a virtual standstill, as shown in this CBC Television report.

The Love Bug virus cripples computers around the globe

• The "I Love You" worm spread to approximately 45 million computers worldwide, making it the most costly virus ever as of April 2006.
• A virus is a program designed to sabotage a computer system by wrecking hardware, software or files. A virus is commonly spread through executable files, usually in the form of an e-mail attachment. A worm, which is a subclass of a virus, also aims to damage files but spreads on a computer network without action from the user.

• Experts speculated the worm was so widespread because of the enticing subject line. "I can't think of better words to get somebody to open up an attachment," Dr. Marion Solomon told the New York Times. "What are the magic words? I love you. Tell me you love me. We always, throughout life, feel the best when we have the message that someone loves us, when we know we are in a loving relationship." (May 14, 2000.)

• Dr. Matthew Naythons, a vice-president of a online pharmaceutical site, similarly remarked, "I found 64 messages saying 'I love you' on my computer this morning. Given the state of e-commerce these days, I was strangely moved." (New York Times, May 5, 2000.)
• The affected included: the Canadian and British governments, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Royal Bank of Canada, the Pentagon, and the U.S. Congress.

• The worm's origins were traced to an apartment in the Philippines, where Onel de Guzman resided. He was charged but the case was later dropped since the Philippines didn't have laws concerning computer espionage.
• A computer school dropout, de Guzman said the source code might have been stolen from him. When the scandal first broke, computer companies tried to recruit de Guzman but he refused all offers in order to focus on his legal defence.

• Some 29 copycat worms emerged following the "I Love You" virus. Most of these replicas failed to do major damage. Experts said that these viruses failed to spread because of a growing public awareness and because their subject lines didn't have the same psychological pull as the love bug.

Also on May 5:
1814: A small British and Canadian fleet destroys the United States naval base at Oswego, New York. The victory re-establishes British control of Lake Ontario for the remainder of the War of 1812.
1973: New Brunswick-born jockey Ron Turcotte rides "Secretariat" to victory in the Kentucky Derby in a record time of one minute, 59.4 seconds. "Secretariat," considered by many to be the greatest racehorse ever, goes on to become the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years.
1980: Canada's Cliff Thorburn becomes the first player from outside the British Isles to win the world professional snooker title.

The Love Bug virus cripples computers around the globe

Medium: Television

Program: The National

Broadcast Date: May 5, 2000

Guest(s): Toby Ayre, Robert Kubbernus, John Manley, Anne McLellan, Helen O'Kane

Host: Peter Mansbridge
Reporter: Saša Petricic

Duration: 2:22

Last updated:
April 10, 2007