The term ‘virus’ is coined by Frederick Cohen

In November 1983 he used “virus” to describe self-replicating computer programs. In 1984 Cohen uses the phrase “computer virus” – as suggested by his teacher Leonard Adleman – to describe the operation of such programs in terms of “infection”. He defines a “virus” as “a program that can ‘infect’ other programs by modifying them to include a possibly evolved copy of itself.” Cohen demonstrates a virus-like program on a VAX11/750 system at Lehigh University. The program could install itself in, or infect, other system objects.