CCSDWL@UWOCC1.BITNET (David W. Loveless) (06/17/89)
I've been asked to help with a possible virus PC infestation at
another institution, in our area. If this virus is confirmed, as far
as I know it would be the first PC virus found in our locale (London,
Ontario, CANADA). MAC viruses have hit our university at least once,
though. Currently, this virus seems to be restricted to just one PC,
as far as we know, anyway.
The Symptoms:
(1) When running Fastback-Plus to backup the 20 meg hard disk
more than 100 floppies were needed
(2) A second directory named CS was found on the hard disk. It had
never knowingly been setup by the user. It contents seemed
to reference files referenced in other directories.
(3) When this CS directory was removed - none of the files it
had referenced could be accessed even though they were still
in existing directories.
Some thoughts:
(1) Some people have suggested that Norton Utilities might setup
a second directory to protect the hard disk. The Norton Utilities
are on the hard disk but the user doesn't think this feature
(if it exists) was ever activated.
(2) The makers of Fastback Plus were contacted and have said that
their product does not create any "mirror-image-like" directory.
Some questions:
(1) I'm aware of virus-protection software like FLU-SHOT+
and CHECKUP for PCs. Is there any virus-detection and
identification software for PCs? Something we could
use to isolate, identify and remove the virus, we are facing.
(2) Has anyone seen a virus like this? If you have, what is it
and how do you get rid of it.
(3) Is there some other explanation for the symptoms? ie. - we
don't really have a virus?
Thanks in advance for your help.
********************************* David W. Loveless
* Today's Question... * Technical Support Analyst
* * The University of Western Ontario
* How do I know what virus I * Computing and Communications Services
* have? Is there a cure? * Administrative Systems Support
* * Room #16, Stevenson-Lawson Building
********************************* London, Ontario
E-Mail: CANADA N6A 5B8
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