c-rossgr@uunet.uu.net (05/15/91)
I'm pleased to announce a new release of the *FREE* scanner we put
out as a demo of Virex-PC. This scanner is completly useable for
scanning against viruses: it is not crippled in any way. The only
difference between it and Virex-PC's scanner (one part of the Virex-PC
package) is in the disinfectors included in the commercially available
product.
Here's the "WHATS.NEW" file.
What's New In VIRx Version 1.4
==============================
Date: 5/11/91
1. VIRx now scans memory above 640K through 1 Meg if the -X command line
option is selected. This feature is added for detection of viruses like
E.D.V. that search high memory for writable RAM, and for protection
against possible infected device drivers that have been loaded high.
Note: Many programs use that area of memory for special disk caching
and this has been noted to have caused some problems with incorrect
results for some machines.
2. If a batch mode is selected, the resulting screens will now time out
if you do not hit a key and the scan will continue. This makes the batch
mode fully useable for unattended operation.
3. When this software becomes outdated, it will warn the user that scanning
with outdated software can result in new viruses being missed. Then the
user can elect to continue the scan anyway. Previous versions of VIRx
would cease to function on the cut-off date; this is no longer the case,
although you are advised to update your software before that date arrives.
We consider VIRx 1.4 to be outdated by October, 1991, although we recommend
obtaining each monthly update of VIRx in any case.
4. VIRx 1.4 detects over 50 newly discovered viruses, bringing the total to
over 400. This was accomplished without slowing down the scanner.
5. VIRx 1.4 can now take multiple targets on the command line, allowing
an entire set of file systems to be scanned:
VIRx C:\ D: E:\thisdir F:\thatdir\thisfile
scans the entire C: disk, the current directory on the D: drive and its
children, the specified directory on the E: drive and its children and
the specified file on the F: drive. Any options you select on the command
line are valid for each target you specify.
6. Both decompression routines, LZEXE and PKLITE, were optimized for
speed of decompression and memory model independence. String selection
of compressed file hits take about 50% as long as did VIRx 1.2.
Problems Corrected from v1.2 :
1. Problem with scanning certain Novell Network server volumes has been
corrected.
2. Execute-only files on Novell Networks are handled properly now on
screen as well as in the log.
3. There was a bug when write-protected files were scanned and discovered
to contain a virus. Fixed.
4. False positive on Marc Perkel's MARXMENU menu compiler Marxcomp.exe,
version 2.27, for the KAMAKAZI virus has been corrected. Our apologies
to Marc.
3. PKLite from PKWare uses a special compression method on unusually highly
compressible files that version 1.2 of VIRx did not decompress properly
every time. This has been corrected, and VIRx 1.4 fully supports all
compression methods used by PKLite as of version 1.05, still including
the -e switch available in PKLite Professional.