At 08:46 PM 8/21/96 -0700, you wrote:
>Let's not forget that THERE ARE NO EMAIL VIRUSES....it has to come in in
>an executable program...
>
>megan
AND after it comes in, YOU have to EXEcute it for it to install itself. The file
which either executes or installs the virus for later execution (usually
attaches the virus code to some pre-existing EXEcutable) must have
a ".EXE, .COM, .BAT", or similar extension on the file name. Any time the
virus "attaches" to an existing file, the file will show a changed length in
your DOS "DIR" report - usually longer. For example, if the file
XYZABC.EXE 32931 1-1-1990
changes to
XYZABC.EXE 41374 1-1-1990
it is likely that a virus or other executable code consisting of 8443 "bytes"
of computer instructions (the difference in the before and after byte counts)
has attached itself. Simply running a DIR on the directory and comparing
the file sizes with your original installation directory will tell you if
anything
has "messed" with your files.
Re-installing the original program from your backup disks will remove the
"virus".
Two VERY important points:
1: "DATA" files CANNOT install viruses - the computer never uses the
code as execution "instructions"
2: Computer instructions only tell the computer to "self-destruct" on
STARTREK!!!! Software is incapable of telling hardware to break
itself.
Robert P. Lewis
2593 S.E. ALDER St.
Hillsboro, Oregon, 97123
Voice: (503)-640-1712
Data: (503)-640-3256
[email protected]
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from OREGON - GEOGRAPHICAL CENTER of the United States
pronounced
OR-e-GUN - not - OR - E - GONE (there's no "E" on the end
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