Gigabyte (virus writer) facts for kids

Kimberley Vanvaeck, also known by her online name Gigabyte, is a computer expert from Belgium. She became known for creating several computer viruses. A computer virus is a type of computer program that can spread from one computer to another and often causes problems.

Who is Gigabyte?

Kimberley Vanvaeck is from Belgium and is known in the world of computer security. She gained attention for her skills in creating computer programs, specifically those known as computer viruses. Her online name, Gigabyte, is a common term in computing, referring to a large amount of digital information.

Her Computer Creations

Kimberley Vanvaeck developed several computer viruses. Some of these were named Quis, Coconut, and YahaSux (which was also called Sahay). She also created a special virus called "Sharpei." This one was very important because it was the first computer virus ever written using a programming language called C#. This showed new ways that computer programs could be made.

A Disagreement and Proof of Concept

Kimberley Vanvaeck had a disagreement with a person named Graham Cluley, who worked for a company called Sophos. This company helps protect computers from viruses. The disagreement started because Graham Cluley made some comments about whether boys or girls created computer viruses.

Because of these comments, Kimberley Vanvaeck decided to create more viruses. She made it clear that these new viruses were created to show what was possible, like a "proof-of-concept." This means she wanted to demonstrate her skills and show that certain things could be done with computer code, rather than releasing the viruses widely to cause harm. She wanted to prove a point about her abilities.