frisk@rhi.hi.is (Fridrik Skulason) (09/21/89)
A few days ago I posted a note describing the distribution of PC
viruses here in Iceland. One interesting fact was that 1701/1704 is
the most common virus here, but it is only in second or third place
elsewhere.
I just got a phone call explaining why.
One software company here has been infected with this virus (1704-A)
for some time. They have sent out a number of updates to their
programs recently, with all .COM files infected.
This was discovered where one site received an update to one program
and used a virus-checking program, "just to be sure".
What was most serious about the whole thing was the ignorance of the
software company in question.
Their first response when they were told of this was something like:
"We can't have a virus - there are no pirated games here"
I guess this will happen elsewhere, but until now there have been very
few occurrences of software companies distributing viruses (only 4
that I know of).
---- friskborynec@watmath.waterloo.edu (James Borynec) (09/22/89)
In article <0006.8909211142.AA16502@ge.sei.cmu.edu>, frisk@rhi.hi.is (Fridrik S kulason) writes: > "We can't have a virus - there are no pirated games here" > I guess this will happen elsewhere, but until now there have been very > few occurrences of software companies distributing viruses (only 4 > that I know of). Software companies may be the largest source of virus contamination around. After all, they send disks everywhere and no one worries about 'shrink wrap' software being 'unclean'. I have only been hit by two viruses - both came from software companies - one of which was Texas Instruments. The guy in the office next door was hit by a copy of a virus on his (shrink wrap) copy of WordPerfect. I think it is shocking that people are told just to watch out for viruses when engaged in software 'swapping'. Everyone should regard EVERY disk that enters their machine with suspicion. J.b. - -- UUCP : utzoo!bnr-vpa!bnr-di!borynec James Borynec, Bell Northern Research Bitnet: borynec@bnr.CA Box 3511, Stn C, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4H7
ignatz@att.att.com (09/27/89)
In article <0007.8909251241.AA29279@ge.sei.cmu.edu> bnr-di!borynec@watmath.waterloo.edu (James Borynec) writes: >Software companies may be the largest source of virus contamination >around. After all, they send disks everywhere and no one worries >about 'shrink wrap' software being 'unclean'. I have only been hit by >two viruses - both came from software companies - one of which was >Texas Instruments. The guy in the office next door was hit by a copy >of a virus on his (shrink wrap) copy of WordPerfect. I think it is >shocking that people are told just to watch out for viruses when >engaged in software 'swapping'. Everyone should regard EVERY disk >that enters their machine with suspicion. It's probably been mentioned before, but it can't hurt to repeat. Some software houses--especially discount stores--have a very liberal return policy. Unfortunately, it seems that shrinkwrap equipment is neither very expensive nor difficult to obtain, and some stores will accept such returned software, repackage and re-shrinkwrap it, and return it to the store shelf. Thus, you really can't be certain that the sealed shrink-wrap you bought *hasn't* been tampered with at some point along the line. It really is starting to look like either there will have to be tamper-proof shrinkwrap (as resulted from the Tylenol disaster in the OTC consumer market), or a general practice of scanning *any* purchased software for contamination... Dave Ihnat ignatz@homebru.chi.il.us (preferred return address) ignatz@chinet.chi.il.us