Dreamer Virus
Virus Name: Dreamer
Aliases: Hitler
V Status: Rare
Discovered: May, 1993
Symptoms: .COM file growth; decrease in total system & available free
memory; "Hitler!" from system speaker;
DOS CHKDSK file allocation errors
Origin: Unknown
Eff Length: 4,808 Bytes
Type Code: PRhCK - Parasitic Resident .COM Infector
Detection Method: AVTK, F-Prot, ViruScan, Sweep, ChAV,
NAV, IBMAV, NAVDX, VAlert, PCScan,
NShld, Sweep/N, AVTK/N, NProt, NAV/N, IBMAV/N, Innoc,
LProt
Removal Instructions: Delete infected files
General Comments:
The Dreamer, or Hitler, virus was submitted in May, 1993. Its
origin or point of isolation is unknown. Dreamer is a memory
resident infector of .COM programs, including COMMAND.COM, and is
a "size stealth" virus as it hides the file length increase on
infected files.
When the first Dreamer infected program is executed, the Dreamer
virus will install itself memory resident at the top of system
memory but below the 640K DOS boundary, hooking interrupts 1C and
21. Interrupt 12's return will not be moved. Total system and
available free memory, as indicated by the DOS CHKDSK program,
will have decreased by 5,072 bytes.
Once the Dreamer virus is memory resident, it will infect .COM
programs, including COMMAND.COM, when they are executed. Infected
programs will increase in size by 4,808 bytes, though the file
length increase will be hidden by the virus when it is memory
resident. The virus will be located at the end of the infected
program. The file's date and time in the DOS disk directory listing
will not be altered. The following text string is encrypted within
the Dreamer viral code:
"Hitler Virus by Dreamer/DY"
After being memory resident for approximately 15 minutes, the
Dreamer virus will activate. At this time the word "Hitler!" will
be repeatedly emitted from the system speaker, and a system hang
will occur.