The road Map of a Virus 1

(By Salman Siddiqui)

(Spider OCT 2003)
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1) Birth:
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A virus is a block of executable code that either attaches itself or overwrite segments
of the programs on the infected PC’s. It is not self generated and is written by
malicious Programmers.

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Guess who created the 1st PC Virus? In 1986 two Pakistani Brothers Amjad and Basit Alvi
developed a method of infecting the boot sector of Floppy disks with the virus called
“Brain”. The intent was to ascertain th extent of Software piracy in Pakistan.

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2) Replicatioin:
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The Virus spreads from one file to another by creating either exact or modified copies of
itself on the infected System.

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Difference b/w Virii, worms and Trojans:

A virus uses host program on the infected Pcs like word to Replicate and each time file
is opened the virus executes along with it . Unlike a Virus , a worm replicates through
computer networks usually by exploiting the vulnerablilities of the operating system
that are invisible to user. Trojan horses don’t replicate.

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E-mail Virus:

Virii usually spread through e-mail attachments . some of these also act as worms and
self-forward themselves to everyone in the victim’s address book.

Example

The recent Sobig.F virus spreads through e-mail attacments and contains randomly
generated subjects lines such Thank You!, Re : That Movie etc

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Boot Sector Virus:

The virus affects the boot records of the hard disks and floppies.

Example

The name Michelangelo virus was given by a researcher who noticed that its trigger date
was the same as Michelangelo’s birthday, 6 March (1475).

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File Infecting Virus:

Also known as program virii, these attach to the executable files on the system.

Example

The chernobyl virus has the destructive cpability of deleting the entire hard drive
along with overwriting the BIOS chip.

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3) Activation:
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Virii usually have damage routines that activate when certain conditions such as a
particular date or whwn the user performs certain actions are met.

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Marco Virus:

This virus infects the applications that use macros such as MS word and excel.

Example

In Dec 1999 computer programmer David L. Smith was jailed for 20 months for creating
the Melissa macro virus.

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Multipartite Virii:

These have properties of both boot sector viruses and file viruses.

Example

The Tequila virus displayed crude Mandelbrot on the screen with a message ‘Loving
thoughts to L.I.N.D.A BEER and TEQUILLA forever!’ Along with swiss P.O.box number.

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Hoax Virii:

False alarms of non-existent.

Example

The C-NILE virus hoax contains the text. “ It seeems that there is a virus out there
called the C-NILE virus that even Norton cannot take care of . it appears to affect
those of us who were born before 1948.

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4) Discovery:
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When avirus is detected, it is sent to the ICSA in Washington, D.C. to be documented

and distributed to software developers for the modification of their antivirus.

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TOP 5 Online Scanners:

Trend Micro’s House Call:

http://www.housecall.trendmicro.com/

RAV Antivirus Scan Online:

http://www.ravantivirus.com

Panda’s Active Scan:

http://www.pandasoftware.com

Bit Defender Online Virus Scan:

http://www.bitdefender.com

McAfee Free Scan:

http://www.mcafee.com

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TOP 5 Antivirus Software Giants:

Symantec’s Norton Antivirus:

http://www.symantec.com/

McAfee Virus Scan:

http://www.mcafee.com/

Trend Micro PC-cillin:

http://www.antivirus.com/

AVG Anti-Virus:
http://www.grisoft.com/

Panda Anti-Virus Software:

http://www.pandasoftware.com/

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5) Eradication:
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On installing the update of their antivirus software the user should be able to wipe
out any virus . Virii do not diappear completely from the internet but cease to become
a threat.

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Compile By MOMIN ANSARI

E-mail: momin_634@yahoo.com