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WEB SERVICES:
CIH virus may hit on
Monday
April 23, 1999
Web posted at: 2:43 p.m. EDT (1843 GMT)
by Emily Fitzloff
From...
(IDG) -- A fiercely
destructive virus that
may already be sitting
dormant in the memory
of computer users'
systems is expected to
become active Monday,
April 26.
The virus, which is called
CIH 1.2 and infects
Windows 95 and 98 .EXE
files, is not nearly as
prevalent or easy to
spread as the recent
Melissa virus, but is
significantly more
destructive to the
computers it does infect
because it goes directly
to the hardware.
According to Steve Trilling, director of research at
the Symantec Anti-Virus Research Center, the
payload of CIH 1.2 "will not only delete programs
from your hard drive, but it can over-write flash
BIOS and totally destroy the motherboard."
Although CIH 1.2 is much more slow moving than
the more common macro viruses, its threat is higher
because it typically goes undetected, according to
Sal Viveros, group marketing manager for Network
Associates' Total Virus Defense product line.
CIH was first discovered in summer 1998 in the Far
East, according to Symantec's Trilling, who
explained that viruses tend to be most threatening
within the first six months of release.
"Because CIH is now in its eighth month, the threat
has been significantly reduced," Trilling said.
CIH, however, does have the strength to destroy the
hard drives of infected computers when they are
booted up on April 26. Some observers have
speculated that the payload release date is designed
to coincide with the 13th anniversary of the nuclear
meltdown in Chernobyl.
According to Viveros of
Network Associates, March's
relatively benign Melissa may
have been a blessing in
disguise for U.S. computer
users.
"Most U.S. users updated
their anti-virus solutions
because of Melissa, so they are
safe," Viveros said.
All of the leading anti-virus
products have been aware of
CIH 1.2 since last summer, so
people who have updated
their systems since then will
have the current fix for CIH
1.2 and should be safe,
according to Viveros, who also
remarked that the virus has
been extremely prevalent in
Asia.
Computer users who are unsure whether their
systems may be carrying the CIH 1.2 virus, especially
those who have not been updating their anti-virus
systems regularly, should contact their anti-virus
solution provider.
Symantec is offering a fix called Kill CIH that can be
downloaded from www.symantec.com (link below).
Fixes are also available from Sophos, Network
Associates, and others.
One Microsoft representative said the software
company's products had no particular
vulnerabilities to the CIH virus, and updated
versions of Windows-based anti-virus software
should keep Windows clean of it.
"It can run Windows 95 and Windows 98," the
representative said. "The virus payload cannot run
on NT systems. It could infect, but not run on, NT."
To Windows users, Microsoft recommended
standard virus protection measures -- using
up-to-date scanning software, employing
code-signing safeguards, and not accepting floppy
disks or executables from unknown sources.
Emily Fitzloff is an InfoWorld senior writer.
MESSAGE BOARD:
"Chernobyl" virus
RELATED STORIES:
Some Aptivas shipped with CIH virus
April 8, 1999
Massive e-mail virus outbreak spreads like wildfire
March 29, 1999
How to prepare yourself for the CIH 1.2 virus
March 12, 1999
CIH virus causes little permanent damage
August 28, 1998
Hardware-damaging virus is a worldwide problem
July 22, 1998
RELATED IDG.net STORIES:
CIH virus dangerous, but easy to avoid
(Computerworld)
Prepare yourself for the CIH 1.2 virus
(PC World Online)
Virucide!
(PC World Online)
Virus killers
(PC World Online)
Protect yourself from the next Melissa
(PC World Online)
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External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
RELATED SITES:
Symantec's Kill CIH fix
Network Associates Inc.
Sophos Plc
Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
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