In this book you'll learn everything you wanted to know about computer viruses, ranging from the simplest 44-byte virus right on up to viruses for 32-bit Windows, Unix and the Internet. You'll learn how anti-virus programs stalk viruses and what viruses do to evade these digital policemen, including stealth techniques and polymorphism. Next, you'll take a fascinating trip to the frontiers of science and learn about genetic viruses. Will such viruses take over the world, or will they become the tools of choice for the information warriors of the 21st century? Finally, you'll learn about payloads for viruses, not just destructive code, but also how to use a virus to compromise the security of a computer, and the possibility of beneficial viruses.