"Lazarevich, Alexander - The Worm - part 1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lazarevich Alexander)

banks to find a new living space for themselves and their
progeny. So, the fittest would survive in full accordance
with Darwin's Theory of Evolution, accumulating over
generations useful traits and producing more and more
perfect specimens.

Except for this variability, there was nothing special
about the initial copy of John's worm. In fact, some other
hackers made more intelligent worms that were capable of
breaking electronic locks of far greater sophistication. But
those worms were not capable of self-perfection and John
expected that, in due time, his worm (or, rather, worms -
since the evolution may take many paths at once) would
surpass all the competitors. And when they had infiltrated
into all the networks in the world, John Hacker would sign
on and type the password: THE_PRINCE_OF_DARKNESS. This would
activate the worm's special mutation-proof subroutine
resident in the host computer of the network. Communications
with the worms in other networks would be instantly
established and computers all over the world would display
the same message: "John Hacker is World's #1 Whiz!"

Such were the plans of John Hacker, but they did not
come to pass. Not once in the next three years did John type
the password with any response. The worm was absent, at
least in the networks John Hacker signed on. After three
years of unsuccessful hallooing in the computer jungle, John
decided he had to face the facts: the worm was dead,
probably eaten by an anti-virus. There was nothing to do but
to forget all about it...

3.

Ten years later, in the early 1992 there was an
emergency alert in a military base. The computer controlling
nuclear missiles suddenly started the countdown. For three
minutes the nuclear war seemed inevitable, but two seconds
to the launch, the countdown stopped just as unexpectedly as
it had begun. The military experts conducted thorough
investigation. No software or hardware faults were found. It
was decided to seek an independent opinion...

The call from the Defence Department found John Hacker,
a systems software consultant of high renown, in a
supermarket. John took the cellular phone out of his pocket.
"We've just downloaded one thing to your home computer by
phone." - said a voice in the receiver - "Have a look at it.
We would like to have your opinion as soon as possible. It's
important."