[comp.virus] Disinfectant 1.6

LAU@ricevm1.rice.edu (Fung P Lau) (02/07/90)

     I have recently read something about Disinfectant 1.6 from this
newsgroup.  Its author said that there was no Disinfectant 1.6 and it
maigt cause potential porblems on virus detection.  Someone in our lab
downloaded it and has been using it without any obvious trouble.  I
would appreciate any further comments on this application.  So, again,
is there any upgraded version of Disinfectant after version 1.5 ?  If
not, is there any more information about this "fake" Disinfectant ?

jln@acns.nwu.edu (John Norstad) (02/10/90)

LAU@ricevm1.rice.edu(Fung P Lau) writes:
>      I have recently read something about Disinfectant 1.6 from this
> newsgroup.  Its author said that there was no Disinfectant 1.6 and it
> maigt cause potential porblems on virus detection.  Someone in our lab
> downloaded it and has been using it without any obvious trouble.  I
> would appreciate any further comments on this application.  So, again,
> is there any upgraded version of Disinfectant after version 1.5 ?  If
> not, is there any more information about this "fake" Disinfectant ?

Disinfectant 1.6 is a bonafide new release. There was some confusion on
the UseNet newgroup comp.sys.mac before 1.6 came out about a possibly
"bogus" version 1.6, but nothing ever came of that confusion.

Version 1.6 contains important new generic nVIR  clone detection and
repair code.  All Disinfectant users should upgrade to the new version.

(I am the author of Disinfectant)

John Norstad
Northwestern University
jln@acns.nwu.edu

dplatt@coherent.com (02/11/90)

>      I have recently read something about Disinfectant 1.6 from this
> newsgroup.  Its author said that there was no Disinfectant 1.6 and it
> maigt cause potential porblems on virus detection.  Someone in our lab
> downloaded it and has been using it without any obvious trouble.  I
> would appreciate any further comments on this application.  So, again,
> is there any upgraded version of Disinfectant after version 1.5 ?  If
> not, is there any more information about this "fake" Disinfectant ?

A month or so ago, there was a report of a Disinfectant 1.6 at a time
when the latest officially-released version of Disinfectant was 1.5.
It turns out that this report was in error... a fileserver somewhere
had a copy of 1.5, and had mistakenly catalogged it as being version
1.6.

More recently (about 10 days ago), John Norstad released an official
1.6 version of Disinfectant.  This version includes nVIR-clone
detection... it will identify and remove simple clones of the nVIR
virus family even if these clones are newly-created and have not been
seen before.

Check the version history in the About... box in the copy of Disinfectant
1.6 which you have downloaded.  If it's consistent with this description,
you probably have a valid copy of the new version, and can use it without
difficulty or dismay.

- --
Dave Platt                                             VOICE: (415) 493-8805
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ANDERSON@binah.cc.brandeis.edu (Ivy Anderson) (02/21/90)

I am brand new to VIRUS-L and to virus protection in general.  I have
just read the posting which mentioned Disinfectant 1.6, a free
ant-virus program.  Can someone advise me where we can obtain more
information about this program?  Is there a PC version as well?

Thanks very much,

Ivy Anderson
Brandeis University Libraries

Bitnet:  anderson@brandeis
Internet:  anderson@binah.cc.brandeis.edu

jln@acns.nwu.edu (John Norstad) (02/22/90)

CA6726@SIUCVMB.BITNET writes:
>       I realize that Mr. John Norstad just released Disinfectant 1.6
> and has again announced that Disinfectant 2.0 is forthcoming, but has
> he or his colleagues announced WHEN we can anticipate its release?

I wish I knew.  It will be at least a few months, probably longer.
The big problem is that I keep getting ideas for new features faster
than I can implement them.

John Norstad
Northwestern University
jln@acns.nwu.edu