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From: jco@hplb.hpl.hp.com (Joao Oliveira)
Subject: Re: When was the first computer virus?
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Date: Tue, 30 Jul 1996 08:51:52 GMT
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Terry (wtnewton@nc5.infi.net) wrote:
: I know of
: no computer virus capable of adapting to an environment, they just crash
: if in the wrong one. More virus information links...

	If one considers worms in this discussion, Robert Morris Inet 
Worm might be considered like that. It was prepared for two different 
machines (VaxVMS?? and UNIX?? - something like that). I can see no 
impossibility in a virus to do this. Before it replicates itself, why not 
looking beforehand to the kind of environment he is considering (and 
build the appropriate code). Adapting to ANY new environment is something 
totally different. I believe macro viruses or similar should not be 
considered as adaptive because their 'understanding' of the world does 
not change - they are always running on the same virtual machine (Word 
macro interpreter on the referred case).

	As I am far away from being an expert in this field please be
comprehensive for any misstatement.

joao
--
+ Joao Barreto Fernandes - Intelligent Networked Computing Lab  R&D placement +
+ Hewlett Packard Labs, Filton Rd, Bristol BS12 6QZ England   +44 117 9228714 +
+ jco@hplb.hpl.hp.com   http://www-incl/~jco  http://www.di.fc.ul.pt/~barreto +
+       'All points of view are my own and not necessarily HP's as well'      +
