Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!rutgers!att!cbnewsj!rcd
From: rcd@cbnewsj.ATT.COM (rana.c.dutt)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Virus on Wordup v2.0 Disks
Summary: Key Virus on Wordup 2.0 disks
Message-ID: <1097@cbnewsj.ATT.COM>
Date: 2 Oct 89 16:19:44 GMT
References: <6583@ttidca.TTI.COM>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 32

In article <6583@ttidca.TTI.COM>, woodside@ttidca.TTI.COM (George Woodside) writes:
> NEOCEPT has released an announcement regarding a virus on some copies
> of their version 2.0 release disks, a portion of which is reproduced here:
> [Neocept's announcment deleted]
> I must raise some objection to portions of this announcement.
> 
> I will withhold comments about the responsibility of software publishers
> regarding checking releases for viruses. I must, however, voice strong
> protests at their attempts to downplay the significance of this event.
> 
> While I have not yet received an exact copy of the virus, it has been 
> identified as the "KEY", "TYPE 1", or "SIGNUM BPL" virus, depending upon the
> anti-virus software you favor.

I have confirmed the presence of the KEY virus on all three of 
my Wordup 2.0 disks shipped to me by Neocept. I used George Woodside's
excellent "Virus Killer" program to detect and then eradicate this
virus from my disks.  Others who have received Wordup 2.0 should do the same.
Virus Killer was posted on comp.binaries.atari.st recently. 

I'd like to applaud George Woodside for his exceptional public service
in a) warning us about this virus (I'd never have suspected that a
COMMERCIAL software distribution would contain one); b) disseminating accurate 
information on it; and c) providing a utility which destroys
this and other viruses. 

Question: will this virus write to the boot sector on my hard disk as 
well? If so, how can I detect it? (I noticed that Virus Killer only 
checks and fixes floppy disks.) Thanks very much.

Rana Dutt
rcd@mtqua.att.com