Polymorphic Malware
TL;DR
Code that mutates with each replication like HIV evading immune recognition—97% of viruses are now polymorphic, forcing defenders to shift from signature matching to behavior detection.
Speed Read
0%
300 WPM
-- remaining
Computer viruses that mutate their code with each replication, mirroring how HIV and influenza undergo antigenic drift to evade immune recognition. The digital equivalent of biological surface protein variation—same function, different signature.
Business Application of Polymorphic Malware
Polymorphic malware exemplifies how attackers evolve to evade defenses, forcing defenders to shift from recognizing specific patterns to detecting suspicious behaviors - analogous to competitors disguising their strategies.