Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!cica!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!decwrl!polyslo!vlsi3b15!vax1.cc.lehigh.edu!sei.cmu.edu!krvw From: BRIAN@UC780 (Brian D. McMahon) Newsgroups: comp.virus Subject: VACATION Virus Reported on INFO-VAX List (VAX/VMS) Message-ID: <0003.y8907031143.AA09258@ge.sei.cmu.edu> Date: 30 Jun 89 18:43:00 GMT Sender: Virus Discussion List Reply-To: VIRUS-L@IBM1.CC.Lehigh.EDU Lines: 29 Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu The following recently appeared on INFO-VAX; I have no further information. Can anyone confirm/deny/elaborate? >Date: 26 JUN 89 22:05:24.55-GMT >From: INFOVAX@FRIPN51.BITNET >To: INFO-VAX@KL.SRI.COM >Subject: RE: automatic mail answering service : WARNING, MAY BE VIRUS > >TAKE CARE: the program VACATION (distributed on a mailing list) is a >potential VIRUS for ALL the people registered on this list if used >with no modifications. It will reply to the list, so to itself...and >so on... And you will be on vacation, so you will not stop it quickly. >Suppose just a few people of INFO-VAX use this program, and imagine >the disaster, because it will also reply to all the mailing send by >all the runing copy of this monstrosity. >Surely it was not the will of the author of VACATION, but this >program IS A VIRUS ! > >Bernard PERROT >Institut de Physique Nucleaire >Orsay - France - [Ed. It appears to me to be more a case of an infinite mail loop than anything that could be called a virus. I frequently get messages on VIRUS-L/comp.virus which are sent from a VACATION program (VMS or Unix). Since VIRUS-L is moderated, however, I merely delete the message. If the message goes out to the list, and the VACATION program replies, you have an endless cycle. Use any VACATION program very cautiously.]