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From: bnr-di!borynec@watmath.waterloo.edu (James Borynec)
Newsgroups: comp.virus
Subject: Re: Viruses in Commercial Software
Message-ID: <0008.8910031107.AA02205@ge.sei.cmu.edu>
Date: 3 Oct 89 02:23:01 GMT
Sender: Virus Discussion List 
Lines: 34
Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu

In article <0008.8909281133.AA14331@ge.sei.cmu.edu>, TMPLee@DOCKMASTER.ARPA wri
tes:
> In commenting on viruses being distributed (accidentally, of course)
> through commercial software someone recently mentioned that someone
> near him had been hit by a virus that was in a shrink-wrapped copy of
> WordPerfect.  I'm  skeptical...

It happened.  A co-worker bought a copy of WordPerfect for his Amiga.  When
it came to him, it was infected.  Those are the facts as he told them to me.

If anyone wants more details I am willing to supply them.  It probably
won't do any good because the problem has been fixed.  If anyone is
collecting historical information and wants more details send E-mail.
(BTW. to the person who sent me E-mail on this topic, did my reply get
through to you?)

The story behind this goes something like:  WP sold the distribution and
support rights for the Amiga version of WP for Canada to a company in
Ontario.  That company had some problems.  That company no longer
has the redistribution rights.

I personally have been hit TWICE by viruses in commercial software.  From
different vendors. Once when I was examining a popular speech synthesis
package for my Mac, and once when we got our TI micro-explorer.  Just the
thing, factory loaded viruses.

To summarize: It happens.   Treat ALL software entering your system
with caution.

James Borynec

- --
UUCP : utzoo!bnr-vpa!bnr-di!borynec  James Borynec, Bell Northern Research
Bitnet: borynec@bnr.CA        Box 3511, Stn C, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4H7