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- 21A07.TXT - Description file for 21A07.DEF
- AntiVirus Lab, SYMANTEC/Peter Norton Product Group
- May 1, 1993
- ******************************************************************
-
- Instructions for loading virus definitions, using Norton AntiVirus
- version 2.1:
-
- 1) Run Virus Clinic by typing NAV at the DOS prompt or clicking
- on the NAV Icon from within Windows.
-
- 2) Select "Cancel," or press <Esc> to bypass the "Scan Drives"
- Screen.
-
- 3) Select the "Definitions" menu.
-
- 4) Select "Load from File..."
-
- 5) If the name of the drive and directory to which you loaded the
- definition file does not appear on the "Directory:" line, change to
- the proper drive and directory. The name of the definition file
- should appear in the "Files" window.
-
- 6) Select the definition file, click "OK," or press <Enter>.
-
- 7) After the definitions have loaded, press <Enter> to exit from the
- "Load Definition File Results" screen.
-
- 8) Select "Exit" from the "Scan" menu.
-
- 9) Reboot your computer to activate the new definitions.
-
- ******************************************************************
-
- Note for users who are not updated through Corporate Channels:
-
- After updating your definitions, if every file is identified as
- being infected with "MtE", don't panic. You probably do not have
- a virus. Please download the patch file, PTCH1A.ZIP (available
- through CompuServe and the Symantec BBS), unzip the file, follow
- the instructions included in the readme file, and then load these
- definitions again.
-
- If you are unable to download this patch file, or are still
- experiencing problems after using it, please contact Symantec
- Technical Support.
-
- ******************************************************************
-
- The virus PST has undergone a name change to Malaise.
-
- -----
-
- Vien (BNB)
- This virus is another in the Vienna family. It is a direct action
- infector of COM files. When an infected file is executed, the
- virus looks in the current directory and infects the first uninfected
- file it finds. Only one file is infected per execution. Infected
- files grow by approximately 450 (429) bytes. INT 24h is intercepted
- so as to not produce any error messages during the infection process.
-
- The virus will not attempt to infect files whose size minus the value
- in the second and third bytes equals its size. Generally, this would
- mean another appending virus of the same size has already infected the
- file (or it was infected by this strain).
-
- The virus seems to only try to spread.
-
- -----
-
- Vien (Dr. Qumak-1028)
- This member of the Vienna family adds encryption as a feature and is
- closer to 1050 (1048) bytes. Otherwise, it infects the same way as
- the above. Only the determination to reinfect is different. This one
- relies on the 4th and 5th bytes to match a specific value. As such,
- there is a 1 in 64K chance of not infecting a viable COM file.
-
- -----
-
- PS-MPC (Swansong)
- PS-MPC is a virus generation tool. It has the capability of building
- viruses for the user after the user chooses some basic parameters.
- Swansong is one of its products. It is an encrypting direct action
- infector of EXE files. Each execution will result in two files bring
- infected in the current directory. Due to bugs, there may be rampant
- crashes on infected machines. Because of the bugs, it's not likely
- for this virus to spread far.
-
- This virus seems designed more to challenge the antivirus folks than as
- harm toward the general public. It employs many techniques to try to
- thwart debuggers.
-
- The virus was programmed to enact destructive code on October 31, 1991.
- As that date has passed, it will now do no more than try to spread.
-
- -----
-
- Dark Avenger (1459) (aka PS!KO-1459)
- Dark Avenger (1459) is a memory resident infector of COM and EXE files.
- Infected files will grow by approximately 1450 (1459) bytes. If the
- virus is resident, a user will not notice the change in file size.
- Infected systems will have its cursor disappear and INT 21h (DOS) and
- INT 27h (TSR) are intercepted by the virus. Files are infected on any
- of the following DOS functions: 11h, 12h, 3Ch, 3Dh, 3Eh, 43h, 4Bh, 56h,
- and 5Bh. Infected files will bear a timestamp with 31 in the seconds
- field (more precisely: integer * 32 - 1).
-
- The virus seems to only try to spread.
-
- -----
-
- Dark Avenger (Oliver) (aka Outland)
- Outland is a memory resident infector of COM and EXE files. At some point
- last year, the comic strip, "Outland", included talk of a computer virus.
- Someone somewhere then went out and created one to match. The only thing
- about this virus is that it includes the string "Bill the Cat Lives!" and
- other strings to match the description in the comic strip.
-
- There is nothing else interesting about this virus, if even it can be
- called one. It crashes much too often.
-
- -----
-
- (Note: File size growth is given in approximate numbers. If a number is
- enclosed in parentheses, that number would be the growth of one of the more
- common variants. As it is too easy for a virus writer to alter this number
- without changing the virus significantly, do not depend on the more precise
- number. It is provided for your confidence should you encounter it, which
- we hope never happens.)