The Computer Virus Turns 40
A lot has changed in 40 years, since the first computer virus emerged in 1971 as a proof of concept on an early iteration of the Internet. From the sheer volume in the number of viruses, which grew from about 1,300 in 1990 to 200 million by 2010, to their intent, which evolved from jokes, nuisances and proofs of concept to monetization, spying and attacks; the proliferation of computer viruses over the last 40 years has been significant, to say the least.
The computer virus also sparked an industry unto itself, creating opportunities for solution providers and vendors to offer products and tools to thwart viruses and stop security threats dead in their tracks.
CRN caught up with Guillaume Lovet, the head of Fortinet's FortiGuard security research team, to discuss some of the most significant computer viruses of the last 40 years. Here are his insights.
Next Slide >
