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Techmalware

Someone Just Paid $1.3 Million for a Laptop Infested With Malware

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
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By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 28, 2019, 11:23 AM ET

People usually spend a lot of money to keep malware and viruses off of their PCs, but a Memorial Day auction saw someone spend $1.345 million on one that’s infested with digital bugs.

The laptop, loaded with six types of malware that collectively have reportedly caused over $95 billion in damages, is actually a work of art, called The Persistence of Chaos. Designed by Guo O Dong, who describes himself as a “contemporary internet artist,” it was made in conjunction with cybersecurity company Deep Instinct, which provided the malware and ensured the work was created in a safe environment.

The laptop itself is a classic—a 2008 Samsung NC10-14GB 10.2-Inch Blue Netbook running Windows XP.

The viruses? Those are classics, too:

  • ILOVEYOU, which caused $5.5 billion in damages during its first week of existence
  • MyDoom, which authorities believe was commissioned in Russia
  • SoBig, which has infected hundreds of thousands of PCs
  • WannaCry, a ransomware program
  • Dark Tequila, which stole bank credentials even when the user was offline
  • Black Energy, which was behind 2015’s large scale blackout in the Ukraine

That’s a lot of viral firepower, but the computer itself is effectively neutered. It has been isolated and air-gapped from other machines during its creation and its internet capabilities and available ports will be “functionally disabled” before it’s delivered to the anonymous buyer.

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About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

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