Computer viruses are typically something that you'd want to steer well clear of, yet one group of YouTubers has made it their mission to see how many they can possibly download in just an hour…with results you won't believe.
We're far from the heyday of LimeWire where having a virus on the family computer was almost a rite of passage, as antivirus software and general awareness of internet safety have increased dramatically.
That certainly doesn't mean that viruses have been eradicated completely, though, as you could argue that they've become far more sophisticated.
Hackers reveal how malicious individuals can access all of your files through an otherwise innocuous USB cable, and crypto mining malware can completely hamper your system, earning the assailant thousands in the process.
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One YouTuber has thrown all safety concerns away by challenging himself and another to see how many viruses they could possibly download within a short period of time. You might be shocked to see what's possible.
Hosted by scam and virus expert Tranium, who previously downloaded fake GTA 6 files to see what he'd find, this new video features all of the things you've been taught to avoid, and serves as evidence as to why that advice remains essential.
The first thing that Tranium and his co-contestant 'Crypto NWO' both go for is free downloads of many of the most popular games and software. Typing 'get Minecraft free' or anything similar is like falling into a pit of snakes, as it's almost asking for your PC to become infected.
The same is true for software like Adobe Premiere Pro or Photoshop, which many people are desperate to avoid paying for, or cheats in popular games like Counter-Strike and Grand Theft Auto, which are extra risky due to their forbidden nature in the first place.
One of the funniest things is that 'free' anti-virus software is actually one of the likeliest places you'll find malware on the internet, serving as a wonderful oxymoron for anyone looking to protect their computer.
By the time the hour was up, Tranium managed around 530 different viruses, while Crypto NWO earned himself 732 detections across 199,508 files. His PC was so hampered that it took him an age to even open Task Manager and the scanning software.
It goes to show how 'easy' it still is to download viruses on the internet, and while it's definitely hilarious to see the damage they can do in such a short amount of time, it also serves as a fantastic resource for anyone who might be unaware of the dangers that still lie online.
"Please YouTube, don't take this video down, this is pure gold, funny content," pleads one comment underneath the video, adding that it's "also highly educational on what NOT to do on our personal PCs."