The Michelangelo Virus: Up to 5 Million PCs on March 6
Up to 5 Million PCs at Risk From the Michelangelo Virus on March 6, 1992. Of AT&T's 250,000, It Hit Two
Antivirus vendor John McAfee told many reporters as many as 5 million PCs were at risk, set to be wiped on the artist's birthday. The birthday came. The computer world survived.
What was said
“This is one of the most widespread viruses. It's out there in a large way and could cause lots of damage if it isn't stopped.”
— John McAfee (McAfee Associates; chairman, Computer Virus Industry Association) · said Mar 3, 1992 · due Friday, March 6, 1992 (Michelangelo's birthday)
The Washington Post: the virus 'struck only in a smattering of homes and businesses.' Of AT&T's 250,000 business computers worldwide, it hit two.
The Story
In the first week of March 1992, John McAfee, whose company sold antivirus software, told reporters that as many as 5 million PCs were at risk. A virus called Michelangelo was set to wipe them on Friday, March 6, the artist's birthday.
The Number
The 5 million was McAfee's. He gave it to many reporters, the American Journalism Review found afterwards, and Reuters and the AP sent it around the world.
On March 3 the Deseret News had the virus lying dormant 'in an estimated 5 million IBM-compatible personal computers worldwide.' On March 4 the Los Angeles Times had it at 'about 5 million', by some estimates.
The AP's deputy business editor, Rick Gladstone, later told AJR: 'Our big oversight was to quote McAfee's 5 million figure in the beginning of the coverage.'
March 6
The AP's report that day: 'The day of techno-doom turned out to be a dud.' Boston University counted three cases among 2,000 campus computers.
Tracking by the AP and USA Today afterwards found only a few thousand afflicted computers worldwide, AJR said.
The virus was real, and it did wipe some disks. What failed was the 5 million.
AT&T had 250,000 business computers worldwide. Michelangelo hit two.
Later spin
To the American Journalism Review (1992), McAfee said: 'I told reporters all along that estimates ranged from 50,000 to 5 million. I said, '50,000 to 5 million, take your pick,' and they did.' He also put the number of systems hit on March 6 at about 10,000.
Receipts
The quote in the panel is McAfee's, from the Deseret News (March 3, 1992), which also carried the 'estimated 5 million' figure. Los Angeles Times: March 4, 1992. Hedges in his words at the time: 'could cause lots of damage', 'as many as'.
How the 5 million travelled, the 'few thousand' tally and Rick Gladstone's comment: American Journalism Review, 'The Little Virus That Didn't' (1992).
March 6: the 'dud' line and the Boston University and AT&T figures are from the AP report of March 6, 1992, as quoted by Vice (2012). The Washington Post (March 7, 1992): 'The 517th birthday of Michelangelo came and went yesterday and the computer world survived.'
- Michelangelo threat prompts a warning to practice safe computing - Deseret News (March 3, 1992)accessed 2026-10-09
- Paint It Scary: Businesses, Others Scramble to Thwart Michelangelo PC Virus - Los Angeles Times (March 4, 1992)accessed 2026-10-09
- Michelangelo PC virus wasn't quite an epidemic - The Washington Post (March 7, 1992)accessed 2026-10-09
- The Little Virus That Didn't - American Journalism Review (1992)accessed 2026-10-09
- How the Michelangelo Virus Infected Us and the World Learned the Name McAfee - Vice (Nov 21, 2012), citing the AP report of March 6, 1992accessed 2026-10-09
As of Oct 9, 2026
since it didn't happen
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