🚀 go-pugleaf

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To:info-micro@wsmr-simtel20.army.mil
Cc:barth
Subject: Strange virus???

---Feeding the line eater---

   The SYSOP of an Annapolis BBS ran across a message relating to a
virus that allegedly infects 2400 baud modems, and as a result removed
his 2400 and is running at 1200 baud only. I was just a tad
incredulous, but before writing it off I thought I'd consult the
combined experiences of this bunch. Anyone heard of this before?

The following text is supposed to have originated on a Seattle BBS.

...
quote

I've just discovered probably the world's worst computer virus yet. I
had just finished a late night session of BBSing and file trading when
I exited Telix 3 and attempted to run pkxarc to unarc the software I
had downloaded. Next thing I knew my hard disk was seeking all over
and it was apparently writing random sectors. Thank God for strong
coffee and a recent backup... Everything was back to normal, so I
called the BBS again and downloaded a file.  [ the disk got trashed
again]. ... I hooked up my test equipment and different modems (I do
research and development for a local computer telecommunications
company and have an in-house lab at my disposal). After another hour
of corrupted hard drives I found what I think is the world's worst
computer virus yet. The virus distributes itself on the modem
sub-carrier present in all 2400 baud and up modems. The sub-carrier is
used for ROM and register debugging purposes only, and otherwise
serves no purpose. The virus sets a bit pattern in one of the internal
modem registers, but it seemed to screw up the other registers on my
USR. A modem that has been "infected" with this virus will then
transmit the virus to other modems, that use a subcarrier (I suppose
those who use 300 and 1200 baud modems should be immune). The virus
then attaqches itself to all binary incoming data and infects the host
computer's hard disk. The only way to get rid of the virus is to
completely reset all the modem registers by hand, but I haven't found
a way to vaccinate a modem  against the virus, but there is the
possibility of building a subcarrier filter.

End of quote.

The above message was dated 6 Oct 88. Any comments?