Malware archive operators and cybersecurity researchers are drawing attention to the scale of modern malware collections after malware research group vx-underground and malware scanning platform VirusTotal disclosed the approximate size of their datasets, prompting comparisons between the stored data and some of the world’s tallest structures.
In a post on X, vx-underground said its malware archive contains about 30 terabytes of data. The group is known for maintaining what it describes as the largest public collection of malware source code.
The post received a reply from Bernardo Quintero, founder of VirusTotal, who said the malware scanning service has accumulated around 31 petabytes of malware samples submitted by users over time. One petabyte is roughly 1,000 times larger than a terabyte.
Researchers Compare Malware Archives To Physical Structures
The figures prompted comparisons intended to visualize how large the archives would appear if stored on physical hard drives. Cybersecurity firms, AI researchers, and threat intelligence organizations rely on repositories such as these to train malware detection systems and study how cyberattacks develop over time.
To estimate the physical scale, the comparison assumed the use of standardized 3.5-inch internal hard drives with a storage capacity of 1 terabyte each. These drives are generally about 1 inch tall, making them suitable for simple stacking calculations.
The estimate also assumed each drive delivers exactly 1 terabyte of usable storage capacity, even though actual usable space is usually slightly lower in real-world conditions.
Using those assumptions, vx-underground’s 30 terabytes of malware data would require 30 hard drives. Stacked vertically, the drives would measure 30 inches tall, or approximately 2.5 feet.
VirusTotal Collection Nears Height Of Burj Khalifa
Applying the same calculation to VirusTotal’s reported 31 petabytes of malware samples results in roughly 31,744 hard drives. Stacked one on top of another, the drives would reach approximately 2,645 feet in height.
That figure places the estimated stack close to the height of the Burj Khalifa, which stands at 2,722 feet and remains the world’s tallest building.
The comparison also measured the stack against the Eiffel Tower, which stands at 1,083 feet tall. Based on the calculations, VirusTotal’s malware archive would equal roughly two and a half Eiffel Towers stacked vertically.
Featured image credits: SPARK Services
For more stories like it, click the +Follow button at the top of this page to follow us.