To t h e E di t o r : Computer virusesare designed to be pests, proliferatingin uncontrolled ways and causingsevere damage to electronic data.These malignant programs, whichamplify between files and computers,are strikingly similar in virulence,modes of spread, and evolutionarypathways over time to the microbesthat cause infectious diseases. Bothbiological viruses and these virtualviruses are transmitted from host tohost. Computer viruses are a humaninvention; however, their developmentfollows a well-recognized biologicalroute. Relatively harmless ancestorsgradually or step-by-step evolve into"pathogens;" the host develops adap-tive defense mechanisms, which inturn select for new virus "variants;"eventually, equilibrium is reachedbetween infection and host defenses.Comparing "virtual microbes" withtheir biological counterparts can helpus control both
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