|
NCSA Virus Report #92
NOTICE: TO ALL CONCERNED Certain text files and messages contained on this site deal with activities and devices which would be in violation of various Federal, State, and local laws if actually carried out or constructed. The webmasters of this site do not advocate the breaking of any law. Our text files and message bases are for informational purposes only. We recommend that you contact your local law enforcement officials before undertaking any project based upon any information obtained from this or any other web site. We do not guarantee that any of the information contained on this system is correct, workable, or factual. We are not responsible for, nor do we assume any liability for, damages resulting from the use of any information on this site.
???????????????????????????????
? VIRUS REPORT ?
? MacMag ?
???????????????????????????????
Synonyms: Peace virus.
Date of Origin: February, 1988.
Place of Origin: Montreal, Canada.
Host Machine: Macintosh.
MacMag may hold the record for the virus that achieved the greatest
notoriety in the shortest period of time. Thousands of machines were
infected in less than a month! A Macintosh virus, it was planted by
Richard Brandow, publisher of MacMag, a Canadian Macintosh magazine.
The message it displayed was "Richard Brandow, publisher of MacMag, and
its entire staff would like to take the opportunity to convey their
universal message of peace to all Macintosh users around the world." The
"universal message of peace" flashed on the screens of thousands of
Macintosh owners on March 2, 1988, did no other damage, then erased its
own instructions.
The author, Drew Davidson, "thought we'd release it and it would be
kind of neat."<Note: Philip Elmer-DeWitt, "Invasion of the Data
Snatchers!", Time Magazine, September 26, 1988, p. 62 ff.>
This was probably the first virus to find its way into commercial
software. Richard Brandow, a collaborator with Davidson and publisher
of a Canadian computer magazine, distributed the virus with game
software called "Mr. Potato Head" at a February, 1988 meeting of the
Montreal Macintosh users group. Marc Canter, who was speaking at the
meeting, worked for MacroMind Inc. of Chicago, a firm doing consulting
work for Aldus. He brought the game home, tried it on his Mac, then began
to review software to be shipped to Aldus. The virus infected the disk
sent to Seattle, which was reproduced. About 3,000<Note: Knight-Ridder
new service, "For Many Users, `Viruses' are Nothing New" reprinted in
The Washington Post, November 28, 1988, p. F25.> to 5,000<Note: George
Tibbits "New Computer `Virus' Giving Software Firms a Headache" The
Washington Post, March 17, 1988, p. C11.> copies of an infected Aldus
Freehandteaching disk were made with a disk duplicating machine, then
shipped to computer stores around the country. Aldus recalled all of the
copies.
MacMag can be ignored. If there is still a copy left, it will destroy
itself after displaying its message. Nevertheless, it can be detected
and killed with Disinfectant.
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
? This document was adapted from the book "Computer Viruses", ?
? which is copyright and distributed by the National Computer ?
? Security Association. It contains information compiled from ?
? many sources. To the best of our knowledge, all information ?
? presented here is accurate. ?
? ?
? Please send any updates or corrections to the NCSA, Suite 309, ?
? 4401-A Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008. Or call our BBS ?
? and upload the information: (202) 364-1304. Or call us voice at ?
? (202) 364-8252. This version was produced May 22, 1990. ?
? ?
? The NCSA is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving ?
? computer security. Membership in the association is just $45 per ?
? year. Copies of the book "Computer Viruses", which provides ?
? detailed information on over 145 viruses, can be obtained from ?
? the NCSA. Member price: $44; non-member price: $55. ?
? ?
? The document is copyright © 1990 NCSA. ?
? ?
? This document may be distributed in any format, providing ?
? this message is not removed or altered. ?
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
|
|
