Error Virus
Virus Name: Error
Aliases:
V Status: Rare
Discovered: October, 1991
Symptoms: .EXE file growth; file date/time change; messages when user
attempts to execute programs
Origin: Argentina
Eff Length: 628 - 642 Bytes
Type Code: PRhE - Parasitic Resident .EXE Infector
Detection Method: ViruScan, AVTK, F-Prot, IBMAV, ChAV,
NAV, Sweep, NAVDX, VAlert, PCScan,
NShld, LProt, Innoc, AVTK/N, Sweep/N, NAV/N, IBMAV/N
Removal Instructions: Delete infected files
General Comments:
The Error virus was discovered in Argentina in October, 1991. Error
is a memory resident infector of .EXE programs.
The first time a program infected with Error is executed, the Error
virus will become memory resident, hooking interrupt 21. Once
resident, any attempt by the system user to execute a program or
DOS command will result in an error message being displayed. The
error message may be "Exec failure" or "Bad Command or file name".
Additionally, if the program the user was attempting to execute had
the Read-Only attribute set, it will reset the attribute.
Error will sometimes infect .EXE programs which are executed after
the virus has become memory resident. When it does infect .EXE
programs, the program will increase in size by 628 to 642 bytes with
the virus being located at the end of the infected file. The file's
date and time in the DOS disk directory will have been updated to
the current system date and time when infection occurred. No text
messages appear within the Error virus' code in infected programs.