How To Get Rid Of Melissa Virus?

Hey friend! Are you searching for information on how to get rid of Melissa virus? So am I. Let's find the best solution together.

Web-users first detected the Melissa virus in 1999. During that year, people weren’t that familiar yet with using emails. Even Microsoft Outlook was just two years old at the time. As such, people’s knowledge about the internet was still limited.

Because of this, David L. Smith decided to use this moment to launch the world’s first successfully recognized computer virus. He named the virus “Melissa.” He stated that Melissa comes from a stripper name in Florida.

The virus was able to cause a reported loss of US$ 80 million. Of course, the newness factor of the internet and emails contributed a massive role in that loss.

What the Melissa virus is?

Melissa virus falls under the macro virus category, or more widely known as “worm.” The virus spread via emails with the subject “Important Message from (the name of the person whose computer is used to spread the virus).”

The virus will usually come as a Microsoft Word attachment, disguised as an important message. When the user opened the attachment, the virus will then forward itself to other people through emails. The virus will send the infected emails to 50 people in your Outlook’s contact list.

If Melissa virus had infected your computer, every Word document you make would be infected too. Therefore, if you send it to other people, you will also send the virus.

The virus was not designed to make any severe attacks on your computing system. However, the chain reaction of emails had disrupted many companies’ websites and servers.

Luckily, authorities and cybersecurity experts were able to contain the virus just in a few days. After that, companies’ websites and servers were able to restore their network.

Getting rid of Melissa virus

There are four possible methods to eliminate the virus from your computer. These methods are simple and easy to do for you who are already familiar with computers.

The first method is cleaning the virus from your computer’s browser. Look for “Manage Add-ons” in the browser. Go to “Toolbars and Extensions.” You can then locate add-ons related to the virus and disable them.

The second method is cleaning the virus from Control Panel. Go to Control Panel. You can find it in the Start menu. Then select “Add or Remove Programs.” Look for the programs related to the virus and uninstall them.

The last method is by using antivirus software. Most antivirus software today, whether they are free or paid, will be able to detect and eliminate the virus. Please make sure you only download the antivirus from the official website.

There are many software available out there. Look for the reviews and choose one suits your needs best. Never use cracked versions because they can harm your computer.

Conclusion

Melissa’s attack may have been past for more than two decades now. However, as one of the first globally spread viruses, it has inspired many others to make other forms of malware. These include viruses such as Bagle, Love Bug, and Netsky.

Melissa was pretty much a wake-up call for cybersecurity experts and authorities. It triggered everyone’s awareness of computer virus thread among users. In conclusion, Melissa made the world realize that the spread of a computer virus is swift and needs to be continuously monitored.

To avoid your computer from getting infected by a virus like Melissa, be cautious every time you get an email with a questionable attachment. Better yet, do not open the attachment at all costs. Remember that it is always better to be safe than to feel sorry.

Summary: Get rid of Melissa virus

• Run a scan of your computer with updated anti-virus software.
• Remove Melissa from the registry.
• Update your anti-virus software and run another scan.
• Run a registry cleaner tool to remove entries left by Melissa.