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Nature 449, 287-288 (20 September 2007) | doi:10.1038/449287a; Published online 19 September 2007

Computing: The wireless epidemic

Jon Kleinberg1

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As wireless communication technologies spread, so the potential for viruses to exploit them grows. Biological models of virus transmission will assume new relevance for assessing the emerging threat.

Ever since the first appearance of computer viruses on the digital landscape, our understanding of them has drawn on parallels with biology. Analogues of mutation, phylogenetic reconstruction and computational 'immune systems'1 have all been investigated.

  1. Jon Kleinberg is in the Department of Computer Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
    Email: kleinber@cs.cornell.edu