Computer Virus

Computer Virus

1. 1940s

   • John von Neumann published the paper "Theory and Organization of Complicated Automata" - describe the first self-replicating program.

2. 1960s

   • John Conway is credited with creating the first "virus" in the form of a life emulating program - "Game of Life".

3. 1970s

   • The first true self-replicating programs - "organisms"- were written as experiments in UNIX.

4. 1980s

   • 1983
     • The term "virus" was first coined to describe self-replicating programs by Frederick Cohen and Len Adleman.
   • The term "computer virus" was coined. Len Adleman pointed out the similarity of self-replicating software with the biological virus.
   • 1986
     • The first reports of serious damages from a PC virus. The virus Brain was written by brothers Basit and Amjad Farooq Alvi.
       • The Brain damaged the hard disk boot sector.

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