Amazing Pakistani Scientists
Basit Farooq & Amjad Farooq
Computer Viruses are one of the most troublesome inventions in ubiquitous field of Information Technology. Fighting viruses by means of anti-virus software has created a multi-billion dollar industry and a specialization area in Very few people know that the world's first computer virus was developed in Lahore, Pakistan by two Pakistani brothers and computer engineers, Basit Farooq Alvi and Amjad Farooq Alvi.
Basically, it was a harmless, disk name-changing MS-DOS program developed at their technology start-up, Brain Telecom in 1986. This was a groundbreaking development in then swiftly evolving computing industry. One of the first celebrations of this invention was in 2011 when a documentary on the 25th anniversary of virus featured both brothers. The documentary and related details can be viewed here.
The following quote from the World famous John McAfee of McAfee Antivirus is a recognition in itself about the groundbreaking nature of their invention.
"When I first read about the Pakistani Brain virus, I'd never heard of a virus before, neither had anyone in technology," remembers McAfee. "It fascinated me." This quote ppeared in a BBC's article profiling John McAfee.
This Wikipedia article gives details about the Brain Virus.
Basically, it was a harmless, disk name-changing MS-DOS program developed at their technology start-up, Brain Telecom in 1986. This was a groundbreaking development in then swiftly evolving computing industry. One of the first celebrations of this invention was in 2011 when a documentary on the 25th anniversary of virus featured both brothers. The documentary and related details can be viewed here.
The following quote from the World famous John McAfee of McAfee Antivirus is a recognition in itself about the groundbreaking nature of their invention.
"When I first read about the Pakistani Brain virus, I'd never heard of a virus before, neither had anyone in technology," remembers McAfee. "It fascinated me." This quote ppeared in a BBC's article profiling John McAfee.
This Wikipedia article gives details about the Brain Virus.
