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- This is an update to my previous report dated September 6, 1989
- on the DATACRIME Virus. Since my previous report, this virus has
- become very visible in the public eye. Many articles have been
- written, and many misunderstandings may have occurred. Hopefully
- this report can clear up any misconceptions regarding this virus.
-
- The virus WILL format cylinder 0 of a hard disk on or after
- October 13, NOT October 12, as many articles have reported. The
- Norton Utilities supposedly can spot the existance of this virus
- on a hard disk; instructions follow this report. The program
- "Viruscan" also supposedly can find this virus as well. I have
- run the Norton Utilities on my hard disk, and it does not seem to
- be infected. I do not have a copy of the virus to test whether
- the Norton Utilities solution or Viruscan actually do work. I
- am currently in the process of acquiring a copy of Viruscan.
-
- The virus seems not to be very widespread...less than 50
- occurrances of the virus have been noted in Europe and only 7
- have been reported in the United States. (This information is
- current as of September 11, 1989). No mention has been made of
- the DATACRIME II virus within the past week in the VIRUS-L
- distribution list. If you remember, this one is the virus which
- supposedly affects both .COM and .EXE files. All the information
- in this follow-up report is centering on the Datacrime Version 1
- (1168) and the Datacrime Version 2 (1280) viruses.
-
- The Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore Labortories'
- Computer Incident Advisory Capability (CIAC) concurs with the
- fact that VIRUSCAN may be a possible method of detecting this
- virus on a PC. CIAC also mentions that if track zero (the boot
- sector) of the hard disk is destroyed by the virus, it can be
- restored using Norton Utilities Version 4.5 Disk Doctor program
- IF the Disk Doctor program was previously run on the infected
- machine.
-
- We in Reston are preparing to evaluate "Port of Entry" as a
- potential anti-virus capability. This program is advertised as
- being able to detect the existence of Datacrime and other viruses
- within a computer system. If found appropriate, this product
- will be sent out as soon as possible to the TMIS site offices.
-
- Karen Pichnarczyk
-
- Directions for checking for the existence of the Datacrime 1168 and
- Datacrime 1280 viruses using Norton Utilities:
-
- 1. Type NU to run the Norton Utilities program from the DOS prompt.
-
- 2. Type E to Explore Disk from the Main Menu.
-
- 3. Type S to Search item/disk for data from the Explore Disk menu.
-
- 4. Type W for Where to search from the Search item/disk for data Menu.
-
- 5. Type A for All of DOS disk from the Where to Search Menu.
-
- 6. Type T for Text to search for from the Search item/disk for data menu.
-
- 7. Hit the TAB eky to put you in the window to search data, in hexadecimal
- format.
-
- 8A. To search for the 1168 virus, type: (no spaces)
- EB 00 B4 0E CD 21 B4
- then hit the RETURN key
-
- 8B. To search for the 1280 virus, type: (no spaces)
- 00 56 8D B4 30 05 CD 21
- then hit the RETURN key.
-
- (you can only do 8A or 8B by itself, to check for one virus at a time)
-
- 9. Type S to start search from the Search item/disk for data Menu.
- I searched a 20MG hard drive in about 15 minutes.
-
- 10. When the search is over, the computer will either place you directly at the
- "Search item/disk for Data" menu or prompt for a keystroke to return to
- this menu.
-
- 11. If the highlighted text is "(display found text)" you have the
- specified virus on your hard disk. CONTACT SECURITY PERSONNEL
- IMMEDIATELY. Do NOT touch another key on this machine.
- If the highlighted text is "Leave search" then you do not have the
- specified virus on your hard disk. You may either continue from step
- 6 or type an "L" to Leave the Search.
-
- 12. To back out of the Norton Utilities, type an R to the "Explore Disk Menu"
-
- 13. To finish backing out of the Utilities, type a Q to Quit the Norton
- Utilities from the Main Menu.
-