THE FIRST COMPUTER VIRUSES: THE BEGINNING OF THE HISTORY OF CYBER THREATS (1970S – EARLY 1990S)

Abstract

The article investigates the emergence and evolution of the first computer viruses in the context of the history of cyber threats, focusing on the period of the 1980s. The theoretical prerequisites for creating self-replicating programs are examined, starting with John von Neumann's concepts of self-reproducing automata. The scientific work of Fred Cohen, who in 1983 first formalized the concept of a computer virus and experimentally proved the potential danger of viral programs, is analyzed. The history of creation and spread of the first viruses is covered: Creeper (1971), Reaper (1971), Elk Cloner (1982), Brain (1986), Jerusalem (1987), Cascade (1987), as well as the Morris network worm (1988). The technical features of early viruses, mechanisms of their functioning, and consequences of their spread are characterized. Special attention is paid to the transformation of virus authors' motivations – from academic experiments to deliberate harm. The socio-economic consequences of viral epidemics of the 1980s are investigated, including the formation of the antivirus industry, changes in corporate approaches to information security, and the emergence of new social practices in interaction with computer systems. The relationship between principles embedded in early computer viruses and modern cyber threats is established. The importance of studying the history of the first viruses for understanding the fundamental principles of malware functioning and developing effective cyber defense strategies in modern conditions is substantiated. Key lessons from the history of early computer viruses that have practical significance for modern cybersecurity specialists are presented. The conducted research fills an existing gap in Ukrainian historiography regarding the historical analysis of cyber threats' origins, systematizing and contextualizing the development of computer viruses as an important phenomenon in the history of science and technology.