Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!bridge2!jarthur!polyslo!jdudeck From: jdudeck@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU (John R. Dudeck) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Re: virus Message-ID: <25d9dca2.287e@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU> Date: 14 Feb 90 22:33:06 GMT References: <437@matrox.com> <1888@milton.acs.washington.edu> <1515@krafla.rhi.hi.is> Reply-To: jdudeck@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU (John R. Dudeck) Organization: Cal Poly State University -- San Luis Obispo Lines: 14 >>I was told that there is a nonstandard(?) virus which peneterates >>into your CMOS memory(backed up by battery). > >There is NO SUCH VIRUS!! >I have heard this rumor too, but it is incorrect. > The code would never be executed. > > The CMOS memory is too small for a virus - A working wirus needs > at least 150-200 bytes. Obviously what is being referred to is a virus which CLOBBERS your CMOS, not one which resides in CMOS. Somewhere in the rumor pipline the rumor got hosed... -- John Dudeck "You want to read the code closely..." jdudeck@Polyslo.CalPoly.Edu -- C. Staley, in OS course, teaching ESL: 62013975 Tel: 805-545-9549 Tanenbaum's MINIX operating system.