Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!hao!ames!sdcsvax!ucsdhub!hp-sdd!ncr-sd!crash!pnet01!haitex
From: haitex@pnet01.cts.com (Wade Bickel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: New Virus;deadly
Message-ID: <2243@crash.cts.com>
Date: 2 Jan 88 14:56:14 GMT
Sender: news@crash.cts.com
Organization: People-Net [pnet01], El Cajon CA
Lines: 67

dougl@ism780c.UUCP (Doug Leavitt) writes:
>seems time for me and any others interested in protecting their investments
>before it gets out of hand.
>
>Here are some things I have thought of to start cleaning up this mess:
>
>1)	GET PEOPLE INFORMED.  Next time anyone goes to a user group
>	meeting make sure there is a virus update announcement.  Many
>	of the people in my user groups already have heard about the
>	first virus.  I personally plan to start warning people in my
>	user groups about the new virus's destructive capabilities.
>	When a new and updated Vcheck comes out (FROM Commodore, lets
>	not accept substitutes) get it distributed to user group
>	BBS's and other sources as fast as possible.  Also tell people
>	that it exists.
>

            Seems like a good idea to me.  C= really should take the
          initiative on this.  They have the most to lose and the
          best access to Amiga owners.  We should gripe at them if
          they don't do a good job at this.

>2)	LETS START TRACKING IT.  The best way to squelch this problem
>	is to start finding the source(s).  I'm sure if we could name
>	names, and show proof, Commodore could and would prosecute.
>	Let's start doing so.  Here's some of the things that I think
>	can be done:
>

                Be realistic!  Most people got a hold of this thing because
           they were using pirated software.  So most of the sources are 
           illegal and would require the admission of a criminal act on
           the part of the victim.

                I'm sorry for people who contracted this innocently.  If
           somebody really lost a years work and aquired the virus innocently
           my heart goes out to them.   I have at time lost as much as two
           weeks work  (a bad drive did it) and it is a really depressing
           experiance.  

                However we should recognize that this is just a result of
           rampant software piracy in the Amiga market, both by individuals
           and corporations.  I would be curious to see a study come about
           exploring the degree of piracy using the virus as an reference.
           I think we should recognize that the heart of the problem lies in
           in the fact that a good percentage of the people cannot be trusted
           to be honest if there are no penaties for cheating.  I have little
           sympathy for a software theif, and if you associate with and
           exchange data with a thief knowingly, too bad!


                I have not yet run across the virus, and am getting concerned.
           Has it gotten into any commercial software?


                I recommend that C= release a program which identifies 
           contaminated disks but does not fix them!  Where can I get
           a copy of whatever diagnostic program that currently exists?

  
                                                                Thanks,

                                                                        Wade.

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