security history

Definition

Creeper

Creeper is acknowledged as the first malware in history. Created in 1971 by B. Thomas and R. Tomlinson, it spread across the 28 computers connected to ARPANET that were running the TENEX operating system.

Creeper printed the message

I'M THE CREEPER :
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!

to the console of infected systems. It caused no actual harm.