Newsgroups: comp.ai.alife
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From: nharding@cix.compulink.co.uk ("Neil Harding")
Subject: Re: Has anyone written a genuinely evolving computer virus?
Message-ID: <DJHrp2.BI3@cix.compulink.co.uk>
Organization: Digitech Design
References: <818044982snz@whitestn.demon.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 1995 21:00:38 GMT
Approved:  Yes
Lines: 15

I've had some ideas for an evolving virus but I don't want to get into 
trouble with the law :-) What I thought would be the best way would be 
for a virus to contain a VDL (Virus Description Language) that gave the 
characteristic code, this would be analogous to DNA, algorithms to 
identify other viruses and include some of the code inside itself, 
similar to RNA? The VDL would be compartmentalised, so there would be 
sections for infection strategy, payload, file identification, processor 
models, again similar in principle to genes. Each gene would contain 
revision information, so that viruses would be able to evolve and mate 
with random mutations only allowed to reproduce if successful. This would 
also allow updates for the virus to be released which would be 
incorporated into existing infections. I'll leave out the details for the 
non-ai related parts of the virus.

Neil Harding (Digitech Design), PGP signature available on request.
