CIH 'Chernobyl' Virus Turns 27: The BIOS-Killer That Bricked Millions - tech
(hx) 07:17 PM CEST - Apr,26 2026
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On April 26, 1999, the CIH virus—also known as Chernobyl—activated its destructive payload, infecting around 60 million Windows 9x PCs worldwide and causing an estimated $40 million in damage. Created by Taiwanese student Chen Ing-hau, the tiny 1KB malware stood out by overwriting motherboard BIOS firmware with junk data while wiping hard drives, permanently bricking hundreds of thousands of computers. Unlike today's malware focused on data theft or ransomware, CIH targeted hardware at the lowest level, rendering machines unbootable without costly repairs. The attack highlighted early vulnerabilities in consumer PC firmware before UEFI and secure boot protections emerged. Twenty-seven years later, it remains a stark reminder of how a single clever virus once brought chaos to the pre-internet boom era.
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Updated:12:32 AM CEST Apr,27
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