Date: 06 May 1994 14:37:50 -0400 From: Pete Hammes Subject: ASSIST 94-13 To: assist-bulletin@assist.ims.disa.MIL Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT -----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 4,MIC-CLEAR Content-Domain: RFC822 Originator-Certificate: MIICozCCAgwCAREwDQYJKoZIhvcNAQECBQAwgYYxC zAJBgNVBAYTAlVTMSswKQYDVQQKEyJEZWZlbnNlIEluZm9ybWF0aW9uIFN5c3Rlb XMgQWdlbmN5MTAwLgYDVQQLEydDZW50ZXIgZm9yIEluZm9ybWF0aW9uIFN5c3Rlb XMgU2VjdXJpdHkxGDAWBgNVBAsTD0NvdW50ZXJtZWFzdXJlczAeFw05MzEyMDkxO DU5MTZaFw05NTEyMDkxODU5MTZaMIGxMQswCQYDVQQGEwJVUzErMCkGA1UEChMiR GVmZW5zZSBJbmZvcm1hdGlvbiBTeXN0ZW1zIEFnZW5jeTEwMC4GA1UECxMnQ2Vud GVyIGZvciBJbmZvcm1hdGlvbiBTeXN0ZW1zIFNlY3VyaXR5MRgwFgYDVQQLEw9Db 3VudGVybWVhc3VyZXMxEzARBgNVBAsTCk9wZXJhdGlvbnMxFDASBgNVBAMTC1Bld GUgSGFtbWVzMIGaMAoGBFUIAQECAgQAA4GLADCBhwKBgQDFFJkcaDOuS+6Ai2vmT bwY6JRbhdzPsl6X60hnXruOw2WvrAhc8BTFB+id75m3M55i+Th6MxWH20QHyQq5u yVghOu/s37OxIrj7irNPjtUdPv8b2m4hNGEW53QH6GmXkxLmgLzOhookpoYPC+uw 2MzibDnleVI50d2m//XsWs7hwIBAzANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQIFAAOBgQDHH6CmBoyWU zPlqVnEWYKIBsifqdTJzkKfnoST7NDRIakUP49FP86Cyy1+2AKpUCWaxjq+wGHCH RCNFCCrOwdC9z8XwJal/c69ml6eLRhOoX77ANndpU9E5+eHxP+6Ute6lc63K7+Lz 5xOULjmgaMmKDkTXveVcQO6R2CTY37vcA== Issuer-Certificate: MIICNTCCAZ4CASIwDQYJKoZIhvcNAQECBQAwRDELMAkGA 1UEBhMCVVMxCzAJBgNVBAgTAk1EMSgwJgYDVQQKEx9UcnVzdGVkIEluZm9ybWF0a W9uIFN5c3RlbXMgUENBMB4XDTk0MDIyNTE0NDkxMloXDTk0MDMwNzE0NDkxMlowg YYxCzAJBgNVBAYTAlVTMSswKQYDVQQKEyJEZWZlbnNlIEluZm9ybWF0aW9uIFN5c 3RlbXMgQWdlbmN5MTAwLgYDVQQLEydDZW50ZXIgZm9yIEluZm9ybWF0aW9uIFN5c 3RlbXMgU2VjdXJpdHkxGDAWBgNVBAsTD0NvdW50ZXJtZWFzdXJlczCBmjAKBgRVC AEBAgIEAAOBiwAwgYcCgYEA19l6BN7iTGYEU61qJETIjBh3iAeHzoL8sZ5KwFRZD S/a1KnYlD1zJHR/KeQCOBWW2HzX43TFLCNGU7UD9i6m8AymLe5IJf/bGh0Rne7Jd Q1GAOLw7/J4hE57IMbGETZpzeU1D9IYxiERRNio/oa422lUlS9JZHLA5jaPNcUrX P8CAQMwDQYJKoZIhvcNAQECBQADgYEApkliqAdudoOxvOFmQkOZbSgtlpn61VcNC R7azDNJa2ulevaebptwSTs2OvMeuR/J0Ez4TC7XrJXLVjI5huRAqc+EWGRpZYRMa CARZyE7gGYjUqS7DIQazfskeWiB8zheyW5tCVn+jnB09AZXtgbM6qRjyqrmSdCpg CtfgazIKqI= Issuer-Certificate: MIIB8jCCAVsCAQEwDQYJKoZIhvcNAQECBQAwRDELMAkGA 1UEBhMCVVMxCzAJBgNVBAgTAk1EMSgwJgYDVQQKEx9UcnVzdGVkIEluZm9ybWF0a W9uIFN5c3RlbXMgUENBMB4XDTkzMDUyODE3MTEyN1oXDTk1MDUyODE3MTEyN1owR DELMAkGA1UEBhMCVVMxCzAJBgNVBAgTAk1EMSgwJgYDVQQKEx9UcnVzdGVkIEluZ m9ybWF0aW9uIFN5c3RlbXMgUENBMIGaMAoGBFUIAQECAgQAA4GLADCBhwKBgQDbL xaRlS3u54yyRgVDI5dcE9nlasL8fJqOGlyo7xH2FZnr3kUfsFj7OGiYsr6UbvqwK nyfMIRUrXDUa64leGmft3SK27psDUHOynRSCc40d/HrDf810U5tnTamBKUIMqivK 4GoL0tMRA1eX6hALAvLLgK1HbnwZAo6GqQGW8CIJQIBAzANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQIFA AOBgQDBp5aC6oV6IuFi8JCctq57bew604HHNllgjjp7zdXafq6jctRg2g91k/yFW h19bJC/tNrb0WVwuZOs5L/FToPMNIIHzaW/YSROBmyhTDYaKHZGj0P1+iNjMbHt9 dm1QEHGIfKgBwFidItnOa74DfkXdijlPRnr/+E2Ib6PM+hEfQ== MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,CFV7kWpujzIqy/FzgXx16R4xNEkKivhJiKqTlSwNkFM zsNzOEX/1MJR6b1eBgpQbSZvCmqdZEuJcdZrLvJo91d7NFRmg+5BEK43R1FGOn02 OIyMbHMp4RVBZ265OCU3pzTeoSwQG9IdONmHr6EhuGhlId92K9mXGcQ3u8UDJAEo = <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Automated Systems Security Incident Support Team _____ ___ ___ _____ ___ _____ | / /\ / \ / \ | / \ | | / Integritas / \ \___ \___ | \___ | | < et /____\ \ \ | \ | | \ Celeritas / \ \___/ \___/ __|__ \___/ | |_____\ <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Bulletin 94-13 Release date: 6 May 1994, 2:30 PM EDT SUBJECT: nVir A Virus Found on CD-ROM SUMMARY: The Macintosh nVir A virus has been found in the "README." file on the Journal of the American Vacuum Society CD-ROM Vol. 12 1Q94. nVir has no affect on the DOS files included on the disk, but all versions of the Macintosh operating system are vulnerable to the virus. BACKGROUND: The CD-ROM containing the virus is included as part of the American Vacuum Society's journal, which is widely distributed in the scientific community. The Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A&B (Second Series Volume 12, 1994) was apparently inadvertently infected with the nVir A virus before production of the CD-ROM. All known copies of this CD-ROM distribution are infected with this Macintosh virus. The CD-ROM can be identified by the following titles printed on the disk: (in large bold type) "JVST A&B Vol. 12 1Q94" (subtitle in small type) "JVST-A Vol 12(1) and 12(2) JVST-B, Vol 12(1)" The infected file is "README." in the root directory of the CD-ROM, which is a DOCMaker Stand-Alone document reader application. This file is the one referred to in the instruction manual to run for viewing or printing the user manual, however doing so will infect the system file of your Macintosh. This disk can also be read via a PC using DOS or Windows, but those systems will not be affected by this Macintosh specific virus. The nVir A virus is a virus that at first only replicates, but after a certain amount of executions it has a small chance of saying "Don't Panic" if MacinTalk is installed, or having the computer beep if MacinTalk is not installed. It is not an intentionally destructive virus, but does damage the system and applications during the infection process. Infected systems occasionally crash, and printing is often delayed or corrupted. IMPACT: nVir A is a virus that at first only replicates, but after a certain amount of executions it has a small chance of saying "Don't Panic" if MacinTalk is installed, or having the computer beep if MacinTalk is not installed. It is not an intentionally destructive virus, but does damage the system and applications during the infection process. Infected systems occasionally crash, and printing is often delayed or corrupted. RECOMMENDED SOLUTION: If you have received this CD-ROM, immediately mark it as containing a Macintosh computer virus, and do not run the "README." file in the root directory on any Macintosh system. If you are using this disk on a PC system the PC files on this disk are not infected. If you have already run this infected file on a Macintosh, and scan your hard disk for infected files with a Macintosh anti-virus program. If your hard disk has been infected, you must scan every floppy disk that has been in your system since the infection occurred. Replace all the infected files that you can, and repair those that you cannot replace. Even though the CD-ROM contains an infected file, the "README." file can only infect your system if it is executed. The other files on the disk can still be installed and used without causing an infection. To install the Adobe Acrobat document reader on your Macintosh, run the Installer program in the JVST_94:install:mac:reader folder. To install the Wordkeeper search utility, run the JVST_INSTALL;1 program in the JVST_94:install:mac:wordkeep directory. You can also view the README.DOC file, which contains the instructions for using the PC and Windows versions of the reader, using a word processor. If you must access the data in the infected "README." file, copy the file to a floppy disk and repair it using an anti-virus utility and then scan it again to insure it has been repaired. Scan the repaired file with an anti-virus utility and if it is not infected you may then run it to view the document. The "README." file that is on the CD-ROM cannot be repaired due to the write-only nature of the CD-ROM. The publisher has sent a letter to all known recipients of this CD-ROM distribution explaining this problem. THE SECURITY IMPLICATIONS OF THIS MATTER GO BEYOND THE SPECIFIC VIRUS INCIDENT MENTIONED IN THIS BULLETIN. CD-ROM'S ARE NOT IMMUNE TO VIRUS INFECTION, AND ALL EXECUTABLE FILES CONTAINED ON CD-ROM MEDIA SHOULD BE SCANNED WITH THE MOST CURRENT RELEASE OF AN ANTI-VIRUS UTILITY BEFORE ANY OF THE FILES ARE EXECUTED OR COPIED. ASSIST would like to thank the Department of Energy CIAC for information contained in this bulletin. ASSIST is an element of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), Center for Information Systems Security (CISS), that provides service to the entire DoD community. If you are a constituent of the DoD and have any questions about ASSIST or computer security issues, contact ASSIST using one of the methods listed below. If your organization/institution is non-DoD, contact your Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST) representative. You can obtain a list of FIRST member organizations and their constituencies by sending email to docserver@first.org with an empty "subject" line and a message body containing the line "send first-contacts". ASSIST INFORMATION RESOURCES: If you would like to be included in the distribution list for these bulletins, send your Milnet (Internet) e-mail address to assist-request@assist.ims.disa.mil. Back issues of ASSIST bulletins, and other security related information, are available from the ASSIST BBS at 703-756-7993/ 1154 DSN 289, and through anonymous FTP from assist.ims.disa.mil (IP address 137.130.234.30). Note: assist.ims.disa.mil will only accept anonymous FTP connections from Milnet addresses that are registered with the NIC or DNS. ASSIST contact information: PHONE: 703-756-7974, DSN 289, duty hours are 06:00 to 22:30 EST Monday through Friday. During off duty hours, weekends, and holidays, ASSIST can be reached via pager at 800-SKY-PAGE (800-759-7243) PIN 2133937. Your page will be answered within 30 minutes, however if a quicker response is required, prefix your phone number with "999". ELECTRONIC MAIL: Send to assist@assist.ims.disa.mil. ASSIST BBS: Leave a message for the "sysop". Privacy Enhanced Mail (PEM): ASSIST uses PEM, a public key encryption tool, to digitally sign all bulletins that are distributed through e-mail. The section of seemingly random characters between the "BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE" and "BEGIN ASSIST BULLETIN" contains machine-readable digital signature information generated by PEM, not corrupted data. PEM software for UNIX systems is available from Trusted Information Systems (TIS) at no cost, and can be obtained via anonymous FTP from ftp.tis.com (IP 192.94.214.100). Note: The TIS software is just one of several implementations of PEM currently available and additional versions are likely to be offered from other sources in the near future. Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by ASSIST. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein shall not be used for adverstising or product endorsement purposes. -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----