Imi Virus
Virus Name: Imi
Aliases: Imi.A, Imi.1536
V Status: New
Discovered: July, 1994
Symptoms: .EXE file growth; TSR; file date/time changes
Origin: Unknown
Eff Length: 1,536 - 1,550 Bytes
Type Code: PRsE - Parasitic Resident .EXE Infector
Detection Method: F-Prot, AVTK, IBMAV, ViruScan, Sweep, NAV,
NAVDX, VAlert, PCScan,
Sweep/N, AVTK/N, IBMAV/N, NShld, NProt, NAV/N, LProt
Removal Instructions: Delete infected files
General Comments:
The Imi or Imi.A virus was received in July, 1994. Its origin or
point of isolation is unknown. A total of six viruses in the Imi
family were received initially, with the other five variants listed
below as Imi.B, Imi.C, Imi.D, Imi.E, and Imi.F. While Imi infects
.EXE files, other variants of this virus will also infect .COM
files.
When the first Imi infected program is executed, this virus will
install itself memory resident as a low system memory TSR of 1,856
bytes. Interrupts 21 and 22 will be hooked by the virus in memory.
Once the Imi virus is memory resident, it will infect .EXE programs
when they are executed. Infected .EXE programs will have a file
length increase of 1,536 to 1,550 bytes with the virus being located
at the end of the file. The program's date and time in the DOS disk
directory listing will have been updated to the current system date
and time when infection occurred. The following text strings
are visible within the viral code in all Imi infected programs:
"Hello!This is IMI 1.0b.When you see these words,"
"you have been infected the IMI 1.0b virus.This is just"
"for experiment.Please contact me immediately for cure."
"Fu-Jen U. E.E. Wilbur Dam.1993.4.8"
"WIMI 1.0b,"
"Wilbur,"
It is unknown what Imi may do besides replicate.
Known variant(s) of Imi are:
Imi.1536.G: Received in July, 1995, Imi.1536.G is based on the
Imi virus described above. Its memory resident TSR is 1,840
bytes, hooking interrupt 22. It infects .EXE files when they
are executed. Infected files will have a file length increase
of 1,536 to 1,550 bytes with the virus being located at the end
of the file. The file's date and time in the DOS disk directory
listing will have been updated to the current system date and
time when infection occurred. The following text strings are
visible within the viral code:
"Hello! How is it?"
"This is ----Pandora III."
"Soochow University Business Administration Dep."
"Writen By Blood Mary 1994.10.08"
"Blood Mary"
Origin: Unknown July, 1995.
Imi.1538: Received in January, 1995, Imi.1538 is based on the
Imi virus described above. Its in memory TSR is 1,856 bytes,
hooking interrupt 22. It will infect .COM and .EXE programs,
but not COMMAND.COM, when they are executed. Infected .COM
programs will have a file length increase of 1,538 bytes with
the virus being located at the beginning of the file. Infected
.EXE programs will have a file length increase of 1,538 to 1,552
bytes with the virus being located at the end of the file. The
following text strings are visible within the viral code:
"commandCOMMAND"
"Hello!This is IMI 1.0b virus!"
"OIMI"
Origin: Unknown January, 1995.
Imi.1656: Received in January, 1995, Imi.1656 is based on the
Imi virus described above. Its in memory TSR is 1,968 bytes,
hooking interrupt 22. It will infect .COM and .EXE programs,
but not COMMAND.COM, when they are executed. Infected .COM
programs will have a file length increase of 1,656 bytes with
the virus being located at the beginning of the file. Infected
.EXE programs will have a file length increase of 1,656 to 1,670
bytes with the virus being located at the end of the file. The
following text strings are visible within the viral code:
"commandCOMMAND"
"Hello!This is IMI 1.0b virus!"
"OIMI 1.0b"
Imi.1656 may reinfect previously infected .COM files, adding an
additional 1,656 bytes with each reinfection.
Origin: Unknown January, 1995.
Imi.2304: Received in May, 1995, Imi.2304 is based on the
Imi virus described above. Its in memory TSR is 1,888 bytes,
hooking interrupt 22. It will infect .EXE programs when they are
executed. Infected programs will have a file length increase of
2,304 to 2,318 bytes with the virus being located at the end of
the file. The file's date and time in the DOS disk directory
listing will have been updated to the current system date and time
when infection occurred. The following text strings are visible
within the viral code:
"Dark Satan Virus"
"(c) Copyright 1994 Written By Mad Satan in TAIWAN."
"Satan Ver 3.06"
"1994/04 - Mad Satan -"
"Mad Satan Mad Satan"
Origin: Taiwan May, 1995.
Imi.B: Also received in July, 1994, Imi.B is based on the Imi
virus described above. Imi.B will infect .COM programs in addition
to .EXE programs. Infected .COM programs will have a file length
increase of 1,536 bytes with the virus being located at the
beginning of the file. Infected .EXE programs will have a file
length increase of 1,536 to 1,550 bytes with the virus being
located at the end of the file. The following text strings are
visible within the viral code in all infected programs:
"Hello!This is IMI 1.0b virus!"
"OIMI 1.0b"
Origin: Unknown July, 1994.
Imi.C: Also received in July, 1994, Imi.C is based on the Imi.B
virus described above. Imi.C will infect .COM and .EXE programs,
but not COMMAND.COM. Its in memory TSR is 1,840 bytes, hooking
interrupts 21 and 22. Infected .COM programs will have a file
length increase of 1,536 bytes with the virus being located at the
beginning of the file. Infected .EXE programs will have a file
length increase of 1,536 to 1,550 bytes with the virus being
located at the end of the file. The following text strings are
visible within the viral code in all infected programs:
"commandCOMMAND"
"Hello!This is IMI 1.0b virus!"
"OIMI 1.0b"
Origin: Unknown July, 1994.
Imi.D: Based on Imi.C, this is a functionally similar variant,
with the exception that its in memory TSR is 1,856 bytes. It
contains the same text strings.
Origin: Unknown July, 1994.
Imi.E: Based on Imi.D, this variant is functionally similar with
the exception that infected programs will not have their file
date and time in the DOS disk directory altered.
Origin: Unknown July, 1994.
Imi.F: Based on Imi.E, this variant is functionally similar.
Origin: Unknown July, 1994.