krvw@cert.sei.cmu.edu (Kenneth R. van Wyk) (07/25/90)
CERT/CC received a report today that a magazine in Britain, PC Today, had inadvertantly distributed some 40,000 PC floppy disks which contained the "Disk Killer" virus. We then contacted PC Today as well as Ed Wilding, the editor of the Virus Bulletin publication in Britain. Both were able to confirm the report. However, the virus, a boot sector virus, had been partially overwritten during the duplication process, and thereby made inoperable. So, although the copies were distributed, the disks apparently do not contain functional viruses. Again, the virus, as distributed, appears to be non-functional. When PC Today learned of the infections, they recalled the disks and notified the British press of the situation. A spokesperson at PC Today said that they will be taking steps to prevent this from happening again. Specifically, they will be scanning their master disks in house, as well as at the duplication facilities, for known viruses. For further information, contact PC Today at +44 625 87 8888. Regards, Ken Kenneth R. van Wyk Moderator VIRUS-L/comp.virus Technical Coordinator, Computer Emergency Response Team Software Engineering Institute Carnegie Mellon University krvw@SEI.CMU.EDU (work) ken@OLDALE.PGH.PA.US (home) (412) 268-7090 (CERT 24 hour hotline)
mosemann@hoss.unl.edu (Russell Mosemann) (07/31/90)
I am forwarding a message for a company without access to Internet.
Russell Mosemann
Assistant to the Computer Services Specialist
Computing Resource Center
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Internet: mosemann@hoss.unl.edu
- -------------------------Forwarded message follows---------------------
>From: Steven Mann
PC Today magazine has been receiving calls regarding a recent virus alert.
This virus alert apparently originated in Europe. PC Today is published
by Peed Corporation in Lincoln, Nebraska and is not distributed in Europe
(a few copies are mailed to individual subscribers in Europe). Peed
Corporations's PC Today has never distributed any diskette with its
magazine. Our magazine is not the subject of this alert.
Repeat: The US publication, PC Today, is not involved in this alert and
does not distribute diskettes with its publication.
Thanks,
Steven Mann
Managing Editor
PC Today
Peed Corporation
120 West Harvest Drive
Lincoln, Nebraska 68521
Phone: 402/477-8900
Fax: 402/477-9252