| # | COMPUTER VIRUSES | BIOLOGICAL VIRUSES |
|---|
| s i m i l a r i t i e s |
| 1 | infection of specific targets (.exe , .com files, Word macro) | infection of specific targets (host cells) |
| 2 | attach to .exe or .com files | integrate in DNA |
| 3 | contains code that can be executed by computer | virus contains genetic code that can be transcribed and translated by the host cell |
| 4 | virus and host use same software language | virus and host use same language (genetic code) |
| 5 | contain information, have length expressed in b(ytes) | contain information, have length expressed in b(ases) |
| 6 | source code causes behaviour of virus | genotype causes phenotype including behaviour |
| 7 | virus has small size relative to host software | small genome relative to host genome |
| 8 | infectivity: spread to other computers | infectivity: spread to other hosts |
| 9 | parasitism: computer code copied by host | virus genetic code copied by host cell |
| 10 | one virus per file | no re-infection of same cell |
| 11 | initially infected file is functional | initially infected cell is functional |
| 12 | user does not immediately notice infection | host organism does not immediately notice infection |
| 13 | software can be made immune to infection | not every cell is infected |
| 14 | specificity for Operating System (Windows, Unix, Linux, Android) or hardware | host specificity (biological species) |
| 15 | different types (groups) of viruses exist | species, families of viruses exist |
| 16 | degrees of harmfulness | different degrees of virulence |
| 17 | difference in susceptibility of computers | difference in susceptibility of individuals and species |
| 18 | anti-virus software on computer | immune system of host (animals, plants, bacteria) |
| 19 | percentage of infected files on computer | viral load (number of viral particles in host organism) |
| 20 | percentage of computers protected by anti-virus software | percentage of individuals in population immune to virus (vaccinated or acquired immunity) |
| 21 | PC's came first, viruses later | host organism evolved prior to infecting virus |
| 22 | not living according to Ganti definition | not living according to Ganti definition |
| p o t e n t i a l s i m i l a r i t i e s |
| 1 | spread via Trojan horse, floppy disk, e-mail, internet, sms | spread via vector (mosquitos, bats, rats) |
| 2 | mutating virus | virus mutates |
| 3 | activation of virus depends on date | seasonal activity of virus (flu) |
| 4 | software version dependent action | age dependent action of virus |
| 5 | virus infects new host software | infection of new host species (zoonotic jump) |
| 6 | anti-virus software comes at a price | immune system is costly for the organism |
| 7 | arms race virus and anti-virus software | arms race virus and immune system (vaccines development) |
| 8 | virus disables virus scanner | - virus interferes with or inhibits immune reaction (HIV, Influenza, Ebola).
- bacteriophage (virus) proteins can block CRISPR–Cas defences of bacteria.
- measles virus has immunosuppressive effects |
| 9 | hidden presence of virus | latency; dormancy; symptom free period |
| 10 | polymorphic virus | polymorphic virus, virus variants |
| 11 | stealth techniques to avoid detection | ability to escape detection by immune system (HIV-1) |
| 12 | Darwinian evolution of mutating viruses | Darwinian evolution of mutating viruses |
| 13 | detected by virus signature | detected by virus signature |
| 14 | quarantine of infected file | quarantine of infected person |
| 15 | delete infected file | programmed cell death as a defence against infection |
| 16 | can cause economic damage | can cause economic damage (indirectly) |
| 17 | computer lockdown prevents virus transmission | lockdown stops virus transmission between individuals |
| 18 | new software releases could introduce new vulnerabilities | adaptations to new viruses could create new vulnerabilities |
| d i s s i m i l a r i t i e s |
| 1 | created by humans | created by biological evolution |
| 2 | source code known to author of the virus | sequence of new virus not known |
| 3 | no 2D or 3D form | always 3D structure |
| 4 | virtual (digital) | material; based on molecules |
| 5 | no auto-immunity | auto-immune diseases |
| 6 | cannot kill humans | can kill humans (Ebola, Marburg, HIV, SARS) |
| 7 | no huge amounts of virus in host computer | up to 109 or 1011 virus partices per mL in host (source) |
| 8 | use the same digital computer code (0s and 1s) | different 'codes' exist: DNA and RNA; single-stranded and double-stranded; positive- and negative-stranded viruses. |
| p o t e n t i a l d i s s i m i l a r i t i e s |
| 1 | different computer viruses have no recombination | sometimes different viruses have recombination (sex) |
| 2 | useful viruses do not exist | some viruses have useful effects for the host (oncolytic viruses; lentiviral genetherapy) |
| 3 | linear sequence | linear or circular sequence |
| 4 | single sequence | single-stranded or double-stranded |
| 5 | steal data (account and personal information), spyware, ransomware | No Ransomware, spyware, etc. |
| 6 | zero-click attacks (zero-click exploits) require no action from the victim | the presence of certain host receptors that bind to viral glycoproteins is essential for successful infection. So cooperation of the cell is required. |
