39 years ago, on November 11, 1983, the prototype of the first computer virus appeared.
A computer virus is a type of computer program whose distinguishing feature is the ability to reproduce (self-replicate).
In addition, viruses can damage or completely destroy all files and data controlled by the user on whose behalf the infected program was launched, as well as damage or even destroy the operating systеm with all files as a whole.
There are tens of thousands of computer viruses that spread through the Internet around the world, organizing viral epidemics.
On November 11, 1983, an American student from the University of Southern California, Fred Cohen, compiled a program that demonstrated the possibility of infecting a computer with a virus reproduction rate of 5 minutes to 1 hour.
The following year, Cohen wrote a paper in which he not only anticipated the dangers of viruses spreading through computer networks, but also spoke about the possibility of creating anti-virus programs.
The first non-laboratory virus, called “Brain”, capable of infecting only floppy disks, appeared in January 1986 and was of Pakistani origin. And the first anti-virus program was developed in 1988.
