part of the infected INIT runs as usual.

neutralized and does not spread or cause any damage, but the non-viral

alert is presented at the end of the startup sequence. The virus is

virus attacks during startup, the Disinfectant INIT beeps ten times, and an

If you have an INIT file which is infected by the INIT 1984 virus, when the



128K, 512K, and XL), the virus will cause a crash at startup.

under both System 6 and System 7. On very old Macintoshes (the Mac

The virus affects all types of Macintoshes. It spreads and causes damage



The virus spreads from INIT to INIT at startup time.



rapidly as most other viruses.

frequently than are programs, the INIT 1984 virus does not spread as

files, applications, or document files. Because INIT files are shared less

extensions). It does not infect the System file, desktop files, control panel

The virus only infects INITs (also known as startup documents or system



widespread.

reports of damage were received, we hope that the virus is not

on Friday, March 13, 1992. Because only a relatively small number of

The virus caused significant damage to the hard drives of several users



files.

1, 1904. In addition, the virus can delete a small percentage (<2%) of

and their documents. Creation and modification dates are changed to Jan.

associated with the files and destroys the relationships between programs

are changed to random 4 character strings. This changes the icons

are changed to random 1-8 character strings. File creators and file types

virus damages a large number of folders and files. File and folder names

system is restarted on any Friday the 13th in 1991 or later years. The

INIT 1984 is a malicious virus. It is designed to trigger if an infected



locations in the USA in March, 1992.

The INIT 1984 virus was discovered in the Netherlands and in several




xThe INIT 1984 Virus