CIAC Bulletin H-05: Internet Hoaxes
Grace Agnew
grace.agnew at ibid.library.gatech.edu
Fri Jan 31 11:54:14 EST 1997
Every so often Internet virus hoaxes make it to a list, with the best
intentions of the person sending the warning. This is a very useful CIAC
Bulletin on identifying Internet hoaxes that includes an address for a virus
hoax site. I thought it would be useful so am forwarding it to the list.
Grace Agnew
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>
> __________________________________________________________
>
> The U.S. Department of Energy
> Computer Incident Advisory Capability
> ___ __ __ _ ___
> / | /_\ /
> \___ __|__ / \ \___
> __________________________________________________________
>
> INFORMATION BULLETIN
>
> Internet Hoaxes: PKZ300, Irina, Good Times, Deeyenda, Ghost
>
>November 20, 1996 15:00 GMT Number H-05
>______________________________________________________________________________
>PROBLEM: This bulletin addresses the following hoaxes and erroneous
>
> warnings: PKZ300 Warning, Irina, Good Times, Deeyenda, and
>
> Ghost.exe
>PLATFORM: All, via e-mail
>DAMAGE: Time lost reading and responding to the messages
>SOLUTION: Pass unvalidated warnings only to your computer security
>
> department or incident response team. See below on how to
>
> recognize validated and unvalidated warnings and hoaxes.
>______________________________________________________________________________
>VULNERABILITY New hoaxes and warnings have appeared on the Internet and old
>
>ASSESSMENT: hoaxes are still being cirulated.
>______________________________________________________________________________
>
>
>Introduction
>============
>
>The Internet is constantly being flooded with information about computer
>viruses and Trojans. However, interspersed among real virus notices are
>
>computer virus hoaxes. While these hoaxes do not infect systems, they are
>
>still time consuming and costly to handle. At CIAC, we find that we are
>
>spending much more time de-bunking hoaxes than handling real virus incidents.
>
>This advisory addresses the most recent warnings that have appeared on the
>
>Internet and are being circulated throughout world today. We will also address
>the history behind virus hoaxes, how to identify a hoax, and what to do if you
>think a message is or is not a hoax. Users are requested to please not spread
>
>unconfirmed warnings about viruses and Trojans. If you receive an unvalidated
>
>warning, don't pass it to all your friends, pass it to your computer security
>
>manager to validate first. Validated warnings from the incident response teams
>and antivirus vendors have valid return addresses and are usually PGP signed
>
>with the organization's key.
>
>PKZ300 Warning
>==============
>
>The PKZ300 Trojan is a real Trojan program, but the initial warning about it
>
>was released over a year ago. For information pertaining to PKZ300 Trojan
>
>reference CIAC Notes issue 95-10, that was released in June of 1995.
>
>
>http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/notes/Notes10.shtml
>
>The warning itself, on the other hand, is gaining urban legend status. There
>
>has been an extremely limited number of sightings of this Trojan and those
>
>appeared over a year ago. Even though the Trojan warning is real, the repeated
>
>circulation of the warning is a nuisance. Individuals who need the current
>
>release of PKZIP should visit the PKWARE web page at http://www.pkware.com.
>
>CIAC recommends that you DO NOT recirculate the warning about this particular
>
>Trojan.
>
>
>Irina Virus Hoax
>================
>
>The "Irina" virus warnings are a hoax. The former head of an electronic
>
>publishing company circulated the warning to create publicity for a new
>
>interactive book by the same name. The publishing company has apologized for
>
>the publicity stunt that backfired and panicked Internet users worldwide. The
>
>original warning claimed to be from a Professor Edward Pridedaux of the
>
>College of Slavic Studies in London; there is no such person or college.
>
>However, London's School of Slavonic and East European Studies has been
>
>inundated with calls. This poorly thought-out publicity stunt was highly
>
>irresponsible. For more information pertaining to this hoax, reference the
>
>UK Daily Telegraph at http://www.telegraph.co.uk.
>
>
>Good Times Virus Hoax
>=====================
>
>The "Good Times" virus warnings are a hoax. There is no virus by that name in
>
>existence today. These warnings have been circulating the Internet for years.
>
>The user community must become aware that it is unlikely that a virus can be
>
>constructed to behave in the manner ascribed in the "Good Times" virus
>
>warning. For more information related to this urban legend, reference CIAC
>
>Notes 95-09.
>
>http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/notes/Notes09.shtml
>
>
>Deeyenda Virus Hoax
>===================
>
>The "Deeyenda" virus warnings are a hoax. CIAC has received inqueries
>
>regarding the validity of the Deeyenda virus. The warnings are very similar
>
>to those for Good Times, stating that the FCC issued a warning about it,
>
>and that it is self activating and can destroy the contents of a machine
>
>just by being downloaded. Users should note that the FCC does not and will
>
>not issue virus or Trojan warnings. It is not their job to do so. As of this
>
>date, there are no known viruses with the name Deeyenda in existence. For a
>
>virus to spread, it must be executed. Reading a mail message does not execute
>
>the mail message. Trojans and viruses have been found as executable attachments
>to mail messages, but they must be extracted and executed to do any harm. CIAC
>still affirms that reading E-mail, using typical mail agents, can not activate
>malicious code delivered in or with the message.
>
>Ghost.exe Warning
>=================
>
>The Ghost.exe program was originally distributed as a free screen saver
>
>containing some advertising information for the author's company (Access
>
>Softek). The program opens a window that shows a Halloween background with
>
>ghosts flying around the screen. On any Friday the 13th, the program window
>
>title changes and the ghosts fly off the window and around the screen. Someone
>apparently got worried and sent a message indicating that this might be a
>
>Trojan. The warning grew until the it said that Ghost.exe was a Trojan that
>
>would destroy your hard drive and the developers got a lot of nasty phone
>
>calls (their names and phone numbers were in the About box of the program.)
>
>A simple phone call to the number listed in the program would have stopped
>
>this warning from being sent out. The original ghost.exe program is just cute;
>it does not do anything damaging. Note that this does not mean that ghost
>
>could not be infected with a virus that does do damage, so the normal
>
>antivirus procedure of scanning it before running it should be followed.
>
>History of Virus Hoaxes
>=======================
>
>Since 1988, computer virus hoaxes have been circulating the Internet. In
>
>October of that year, according to Ferbrache ("A pathology of Computer
>
>Viruses" Springer, London, 1992) one of the first virus hoaxes was the
>
>2400 baud modem virus:
>
>
> SUBJ: Really Nasty Virus
> AREA: GENERAL (1)
>
> I've just discovered probably the world's worst computer virus
>
> yet. I had just finished a late night session of BBS'ing and file
>
> treading 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. When I went to use ddir to list the directory,
>
> my hard disk was getting trashed again. I tried Procomm Plus TD
>
> and also PC Talk 3. Same results every time. Something was up so I
>
> hooked up to 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 othr (sp) 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 attaches itself to all binary
>
> incoming data and infects the host computer's hard disk. The only
>
> way to get rid of this 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. I am calling on a 1200 baud modem to enter this
>
> message, and have advised the sysops of the two other boards
>
> (names withheld). I don't know how this virus originated, but I'm
>
> sure it is the work of someone in the computer telecommunications
>
> field such as myself. Probably the best thing to do now is to
>
> stick to 1200 baud until we figure this thing out.
>
> Mike RoChenle
>
>This bogus virus description spawned a humorous alert by Robert Morris III :
>
> Date: 11-31-88 (24:60) Number: 32769
> To: ALL Refer#: NONE
> From: ROBERT MORRIS III Read: (N/A)
> Subj: VIRUS ALERT Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
>
> Warning: There's a new virus on the loose that's worse than
>
> anything I've seen before! It gets in through the power line,
>
> riding on the powerline 60 Hz subcarrier. It works by changing the
>
> serial port pinouts, and by reversing the direction one's disks
>
> spin. Over 300,000 systems have been hit by it here in Murphy,
>
> West Dakota alone! And that's just in the last 12 minutes.
>
> It attacks DOS, Unix, TOPS-20, Apple-II, VMS, MVS, Multics, Mac,
>
> RSX-11, ITS, TRS-80, and VHS systems.
>
> To prevent the spresd of the worm:
>
> 1) Don't use the powerline.
> 2) Don't use batteries either, since there are rumors that this
>
> virus has invaded most major battery plants and is infecting the
>
> positive poles of the batteries. (You might try hooking up just
>
> the negative pole.)
> 3) Don't upload or download files.
> 4) Don't store files on floppy disks or hard disks.
> 5) Don't read messages. Not even this one!
> 6) Don't use serial ports, modems, or phone lines.
> 7) Don't use keyboards, screens, or printers.
> 8) Don't use switches, CPUs, memories, microprocessors, or
>
> mainframes.
> 9) Don't use electric lights, electric or gas heat or
>
> airconditioning, running water, writing, fire, clothing or the
>
> wheel.
>
> I'm sure if we are all careful to follow these 9 easy steps, this
>
> virus can be eradicated, and the precious electronic flui9ds of
>
> our computers can be kept pure.
>
> ---RTM III
>
>Since that time virus hoaxes have flooded the Internet.With thousands of
>
>viruses worldwide, virus paranoia in the community has risen to an extremely
>
>high level. It is this paranoia that fuels virus hoaxes. A good example of
>
>this behavior is the "Good Times" virus hoax which started in 1994 and is
>
>still circulating the Internet today. Instead of spreading from one computer
>
>to another by itself, Good Times relies on people to pass it along.
>
>
>How to Identify a Hoax
>======================
>
>There are several methods to identify virus hoaxes, but first consider what
>
>makes a successful hoax on the Internet. There are two known factors that make
>a successful virus hoax, they are: (1) technical sounding language, and
>
>(2) credibility by association. If the warning uses the proper technical
>
>jargon, most individuals, including technologically savy individuals, tend to
>
>believe the warning is real. For example, the Good Times hoax says that
>
>"...if the program is not stopped, the computer's processor will be placed in
>
>an nth-complexity infinite binary loop which can severely damage the
>
>processor...". The first time you read this, it sounds like it might be
>
>something real. With a little research, you find that there is no such thing
>
>as an nth-complexity infinite binary loop and that processors are designed
>
>to run loops for weeks at a time without damage.
>
>When we say credibility by association we are referring to whom sent the
>
>warning. If the janitor at a large technological organization sends a warning
>to someone outside of that organization, people on the outside tend to believe
>the warning because the company should know about those things. Even though
>
>the person sending the warning may not have a clue what he is talking about,
>
>the prestigue of the company backs the warning, making it appear real. If a
>
>manager at the company sends the warning, the message is doubly backed by the
>company's and the manager's reputations.
>
>
>Individuals should also be especially alert if the warning urges you to pass
>
>it on to your friends. This should raise a red flag that the warning may be
>
>a hoax. Another flag to watch for is when the warning indicates that it is a
>
>Federal Communication Commission (FCC) warning. According to the FCC, they
>
>have not and never will disseminate warnings on viruses. It is not part of
>
>their job.
>
>
>CIAC recommends that you DO NOT circulate virus warnings without first
>
>checking with an authoritative source. Authoritative sources are your computer
>system security administrator or a computer incident advisory team. Real
>
>warnings about viruses and other network problems are issued by different
>
>response teams (CIAC, CERT, ASSIST, NASIRC, etc.) and are digitally signed by
>
>the sending team using PGP. If you download a warning from a teams web site or
>validate the PGP signature, you can usually be assured that the warning is
>
>real. Warnings without the name of the person sending the original notice, or
>
>warnings with names, addresses and phone numbers that do not actually exist
>
>are probably hoaxes.
>
>What to Do When You Receive a Warning
>=====================================
>
>
>Upon receiving a warning, you should examine its PGP signature to see that it
>
>is from a real response team or antivirus organization. To do so, you will
>need a copy of the PGP software and the public signature of the team that
>sent the message. The CIAC signature is available from the CIAC web server
>
>at:
>
>http://ciac.llnl.gov
>
>
>If there is no PGP signature, see if the warning includes the name of the
>
>person submitting the original warning. Contact that person to see if he/she
>really wrote the warning and if he/she really touched the virus. If he/she is
>
>passing on a rumor or if the address of the person does not exist or if
>
>there is any questions about theauthenticity or the warning, do not circulate
>
>it to others. Instead, send the warning to your computer security manager or
>
>incident response team and let them validate it. When in doubt, do not send
>it out to the world. Your computer security managers and the incident response
>teams teams have experts who try to stay current on viruses and their warnings.
>In addition, most anti-virus companies have a web page containing information
>
>about most known viruses and hoaxes. You can also call or check the web site
>
>of the company that produces the product that is supposed to contain the virus.
>Checking the PKWARE site for the current releases of PKZip would stop the
>
>circulation of the warning about PKZ300 since there is no released version 3
>
>of PKZip. Another useful web site is the "Computer Virus Myths home page"
>
>(http://www.kumite.com/myths/) which contains descriptions of several known
>
>hoaxes. In most cases, common sense would eliminate Internet hoaxes.
>
>- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>CIAC, the Computer Incident Advisory Capability, is the computer
>security incident response team for the U.S. Department of Energy
>(DOE) and the emergency backup response team for the National
>Institutes of Health (NIH). CIAC is located at the Lawrence Livermore
>National Laboratory in Livermore, California. CIAC is also a founding
>member of FIRST, the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams, a
>global organization established to foster cooperation and coordination
>among computer security teams worldwide.
>
>CIAC services are available to DOE, DOE contractors, and the NIH. CIAC
>can be contacted at:
> Voice: +1 510-422-8193
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> E-mail: ciac at llnl.gov
>
>For emergencies and off-hour assistance, DOE, DOE contractor sites,
>and the NIH may contact CIAC 24-hours a day. During off hours (5PM -
>8AM PST), call the CIAC voice number 510-422-8193 and leave a message,
>or call 800-759-7243 (800-SKY-PAGE) to send a Sky Page. CIAC has two
>Sky Page PIN numbers, the primary PIN number, 8550070, is for the CIAC
>duty person, and the secondary PIN number, 8550074 is for the CIAC
>Project Leader.
>
>Previous CIAC notices, anti-virus software, and other information are
>available from the CIAC Computer Security Archive.
>
> World Wide Web: http://ciac.llnl.gov/
> Anonymous FTP: ciac.llnl.gov (128.115.19.53)
> Modem access: +1 (510) 423-4753 (28.8K baud)
> +1 (510) 423-3331 (28.8K baud)
>
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> information and Bulletins, important computer security information;
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>
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> subscribe list-name LastName, FirstName PhoneNumber
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>
>This document was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an
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>
>LAST 10 CIAC BULLETINS ISSUED (Previous bulletins available from CIAC)
>
>G-43: Vulnerabilities in Sendmail
>G-44: SCO Unix Vulnerability
>G-45: Vulnerability in HP VUE
>G-46: Vulnerabilities in Transarc DCE and DFS
>G-47: Unix FLEXlm Vulnerabilities
>G-48: TCP SYN Flooding and IP Spoofing Attacks
>H-01: Vulnerabilities in bash
>H-02: SUN's TCP SYN Flooding Solutions
>H-03: HP-UX_suid_Vulnerabilities
>H-04: HP-UX Ping Vulnerability
>
>RECENT CIAC NOTES ISSUED (Previous Notes available from CIAC)
>
>Notes 07 - 3/29/95 A comprehensive review of SATAN
>
>Notes 08 - 4/4/95 A Courtney update
>
>Notes 09 - 4/24/95 More on the "Good Times" virus urban legend
>
>Notes 10 - 6/16/95 PKZ300B Trojan, Logdaemon/FreeBSD, vulnerability
> in S/Key, EBOLA Virus Hoax, and Caibua Virus
>
>Notes 11 - 7/31/95 Virus Update, Hats Off to Administrators,
> America On-Line Virus Scare, SPI 3.2.2 Released,
> The Die_Hard Virus
>
>Notes 12 - 9/12/95 Securely configuring Public Telnet Services, X
> Windows, beta release of Merlin, Microsoft Word
> Macro Viruses, Allegations of Inappropriate Data
> Collection in Win95
>
>Notes 96-01 - 3/18/96 Java and JavaScript Vulnerabilities, FIRST
> Conference Announcement, Security and Web Search
> Engines, Microsoft Word Macro Virus Update
>
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>
>
<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>
Grace Agnew
Assistant Director for Systems
Georgia Institute of Technology Library
(404) 894-8932
(404) 894-6084 (fax)
grace.agnew at library.gatech.edu
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