Question

On March 26, 1999, David L. Smith of Aberdeen Township, New Jersey, launched the infamous Melissa virus that disrupted computers and computer systems all over the world. The virus was spread via an e-mail which contained an attached MS Word document with a malicious macro. When the document was opened, the macro searched the address book of the recipient and send the document with the malicious macro to the first 50 addresses it found in the address’ book of the recipient (Assume that everybody who received the message had, at least, 50 addresses in his or her address book but only the first 50 were used). Assume also that the virus was sent initially to a single user (1st tier who had at least 50 addresses in the address book) and that the macro did not infect the computer of its creator. how many messages were sent altogether at the end of the third tier? Can you explain why this virus was so disruptive? Show your work and, if possible, give the reasons that justify your answer. Hint: draw a diagram of what the virus is doing, and you should be able to get the answer.

Answer 1