For Additional Information

The National Institute of Standards and Technology's Computer Security Division maintains an electronic bulletin board system (BBS) focusing on information systems security issues. It is intended to encourage sharing of information that will help users and managers better protect their data and systems. The BBS contains the following types of information specific to the virus field:

• alerts regarding new viruses, Trojan horses, and other threats;
• anti-virus product reviews (IBM PC and Macintosh);
• technical papers on viruses, worms, and other threats;
• anti-virus freeware and shareware; and
• archives of the VIRUS-L forum.

Occasionally, the alerts contain signature strings to update scanners. The anti-virus product reviews examine and evaluate specific tools. The papers provide an extensive body of basic knowledge regarding these threats. The VIRUS-L forum has served as a world-wide discussion forum for the exchange of information regarding viruses since April 1988. The past issues are available for download.

Access Information

The NIST Computer Security Resource Center BBS can be access via dial-up or through the Internet via telnet: