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From: bals@hyster.enet.dec.com (Fred Bals)
Newsgroups: comp.virus
Subject: Alleged PostScript virus
Message-ID: <0013.9010111649.AA06500@ubu.cert.sei.cmu.edu>
Date: 11 Oct 90 13:14:49 GMT
Sender: Virus Discussion List <VIRUS-L@LEHIIBM1>
Lines: 28
Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu

I act as the virus guru/killer for a group of designers working on
Macintoshes, and get most of my information on new virii and means to
kill `em from this group.

Recently both MacWorld and MacUser magazines have had short articles
about a PostScript printer virus which apparently is a Trojan Horse
hidden within some public domain clip art. According to the articles,
the virus, when down-loaded into a PostScript printer, resets a chip
password and renders the printer unusable.

I took these articles with some grains of salt, since the phrases,
"alleged," "supposedly," "appears to," is liberally used throughout
both of them. Plus, I've not seen any comments from this group about
this virus.  So, two questions: Can anyone confirm whether there
actually *is* a PostScript Trojan, and if so, strategies for
preventing and killing it.

Thanks.
			-- Fred Bals (DEC Merrimack, NH)

			"The only thing technology does is
                         prolong hopelessness."

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