Tag: Computer virus

Tech Time Warp
Tech Time Warp: The wicked ways of the Witty Worm

Tech Time Warp: The wicked ways of the Witty Worm

Although the goal of the Witty Worm wasn’t widespread damage—its entire target population was only 12,000 computers the world over—the malware made its presence known with a vengeance. Within 45 minutes of its first appearance at approximately 8:45 p.m. PST...

/ March 29, 2024
Tech Time Warp
Tech Time Warp: No one is sending you pics of Anna Kournikova

Tech Time Warp: No one is sending you pics of Anna Kournikova

As your mother told you, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is. And that’s as true today as it was 23 years ago when “OnTheFly,” a 20-year-old Dutch programmer/hacker, used a computer virus to proclaim his adoration...

/ February 16, 2024
Tech Time Warp
Tech Time Warp: Origins of the term “computer virus”

Tech Time Warp: Origins of the term “computer virus”

Now, nearly four years since the word “coronavirus” entered the popular lexicon, who doesn’t feel like an amateur epidemiologist? Given world events, it should be easy to understand why Leonard Adleman—the “A” of the RSA algorithm—was inspired by the graduate...

/ November 17, 2023