SHAFFERJ@BKNLVMS.BITNET ("Jim Shaffer, Jr.") (09/08/88)
I'm re-sending this message because I never saw it on the digest. Those of you who saw it before somehow (at least one person did), please accept my apologies. Despite the claim in this discussion group about two months ago (*very* approximately) that an Atari 8-bit virus would be difficult to write, I recently read in an article in Atari Explorer magazine that there is an Atari 8-bit virus going around. Unfortunately, the article didn't go into much detail -- in fact, hardly any detail at all. I don't remember the specific information about the article (what issue, who wrote it, etc.), but it was an article on viruses in general (not just on the Atari) and was quite good in that respect, mentioning Scores, Brain, the Israel Virus, CHRISTMA EXEC, and other recent viruses. So, can anyone give me any information on the Atari 8-bit virus? I haven't found the time to check CompuServe yet (or any other bulletin boards), but if I find any information elsewhere I'll be sure to post it here.
gdtltr@vax1.acs.udel.EDU (Gary D Duzan) (09/09/88)
I read that article. There was no specific reference mentioned, so I assume that the writer meant that 8-bitters are not exempt from the possibility of a viral infection. In fact, I have had an idea about how one might manage an 8-bit virus, but even then it would be limited and fairly easily detected by an experienced user. It would be even easier to fix. The effect of triggering a virus are only limited to space and the imagination. I won't go into the details of my ideas so to avoid getting sued when a clever user implements my ideas and wipes out someone else's data. Gary Duzan Time Lord Third Regeneration Atari Enthusiast Extreme
rjung@nunki.usc.edu (Robert allen Jung) (09/09/88)
Well, I just looked at that paragraph you were (probably) referring to,
about "Nor are 8-bit Atari owners completely safe". From what I read though,
from the way the "virus" is supposed to attach itself to another program,
it seems more like the 8-bit "virus" isn't a virus in the traditional sense
(eg, a self-sustained replicating program), but more like a modification to
an existing program...Can we call this a retrofitted Trojan Horse instead?
I'm no hardware/systems expert, but I can't see how a boot-sector-type
virus could work on the Atari 8-bit. You MIGHT try to write a self-booting
disk "utility" that infects whatever disks you use with it, but that is hardly
a virus, is it?
Overall, it seems like 8-bit "viruses" is just an extension of the idea of
maleviolent code. Maybe John Jainschigg decided to take liberties with the
definition "virus" to inject some 8-bit interest into the article (Let's face
it, the virus problem is easier to inflict on the ST world -- Whew!)
(What am I saying? I've got an ST too! [But _2_ 8-bits! Hahahaneeharhar])
--R.J.
B-)
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#### ## ####Ordania-DM@cup.portal.com (09/10/88)
Atari 8 bit viruses, etc. I am a pretty good programmer, and I can assure you that an 8 bit boot virus would be very easy to write for the Atari DOSes. Writing one for the SpartaDOS series would be more difficult but still not hard for a competent programmer. I haven't seen any, and hopefully I never will. I have thought about them and have come to the conclusion that a multivirus (one that infects Boots, Com programs, and Basic programs) is quite possible. It would require an excellent programmer and some time but would be relatively easy to write. Luckily, those quality programmers are usually in the process of writing other (more useful) programs. In talking with others (when the virus question first came up) I found that the ways to activate a virus were moe numerous than the people I talked to. Each one of them had 2-3 nasty thoughts on how to cause a virus to activate and how to create strange viruses. I shall end by saying that should any of these ideas be applied to other computers, they could effectively prevent the tracing of a virus to its source which (as far as I am concerned) is of greater importance than eliminating the virus in the first place.