Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.pitt.edu!dsinc!netnews.upenn.edu!vax1.cc.lehigh.edu!cert.sei.cmu.edu!krvw From: perry@mbian.gal.utexas.edu (John Perry KG5RG) Newsgroups: comp.virus Subject: RE:Ohio Virus found at UTMB (PC) Message-ID: <0003.9010181808.AA14179@ubu.cert.sei.cmu.edu> Date: 17 Oct 90 20:38:00 GMT Sender: Virus Discussion List Lines: 38 Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu A few days ago, I announced that the OHIO virus has infected several PCs here at UTMB. Well, there is a whole new twist to the story now. After consulting with John McAfee and running a few tests, it has been determined that in the proper environment, the OHIO virus changes from a relatively benign virus into a potent disk destroyer! The virus was discovered on several 5.25 inch floppy disks on a PC connected to a VAX 8250 using DECnet DOS 2.1. Almost all diskettes used on the PC after infection were damaged so badly that they had to be completely re-formatted before they were usable again. In addition, the virus was also discovered on several 3.5 inch floppies. The virus isn't supposed to be able to do this! Apparently the combination of the OHIO virus and DECnet DOS 2.1 creates a contention between the TSRs that causes havoc. I hope someone out there in VIRUS-L land can reproduce this problem and either confirm or refute my findings. John Perry KG5RG University of Texas Medical Branch The Marine Biomedical Institute 200 University Blvd. H-43 Galveston, Texas 77550-2772 Voice : (409) 761-2124 FAX : (409) 762-9382 You can send mail to me at any of the following addresses: DECnet : MBIAN::PERRY THEnet : MBIAN::PERRY Internet : perry@mbian.gal.utexas.edu BITNET : PERRY@UTMBEACH SPAN : UTSPAN::UTADNX::MBIAN::PERRY