EMERGENCY WARNING ABOUT A VIRUS -- delete if already received

["Wade E. Grimes" <wgrimes1@SERVICES.DESE.STATE.MO.US>]

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>Subject: INTERNET VIRUS ALERT

>Author:  GENEVIEVE M BURNS at moncmis3

>Date:    5/3/94 9:36 AM


IF THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN RECEIVED, I apologize.  BETTER| SAFE THAN SORRY!

04/28 Dangerous "Trojan Horse" virus lands on Internet disguised as
CD-R shareware

  Unknown hackers illegally put Chinon name on destructive shareware
  file and release it on the Internet -- DO NOT DOWNLOAD.  IT WILL
  CORRUPT YOUR HARD DRIVE.

  TORRANCE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 28, 1994--Chinon America
Inc. Thursday reported the existence of of a catastrophic virus named
"CD-IT" that has been reported to have surfaced on the Internet.
  The program, allegedly a shareware PC utility that will convert an
ordinary CD-ROM drive into a CD-Recordable (CD-R) device, which is
technically impossible, instead destroys critical system files on the
user's hard drive.  The program also immediately crashes the CPU,
forces the user to reboot and stays in memory.  The virus has proven
thus far to be undetectable to traditional virus checkers.
  Identified by the file name CD-IT.ZIP, the program promises "to
enable read/write to your CD-ROM drive" and lists the program as being
authored by Joseph S. Shiner, couriered by HDA, and copyrighted by
Chinon Products (sic)."
  Chinon America, which has no division by that name, speculates that
unknown hackers picked the company to make it seem that the software
was being endorsed by a well-known and reputable CD-ROM manufacturer.
  "We felt that it was our responsibility as a member of the computing
community to alert Internet users of this dangerous virus that is being
distributed with our name on it," said David Cole, director of research
and development for Chinon America.  "Even though we have nothing to do
with the virus, it is particularly disturbing for us to think that many
of our loyal customers could be duped into believing that the software
is ours."
  Luckily, said Cole, in addition to attributing the software to a
nonexistent Chinon division, the shareware file also includes several
other tip-offs that it might be a fraudulent piece of software,
including several obscenities in the documentation and a line
indicating that the courier company for the software, HDA, stands for
"Haven't Decided a Name Yet."
  Please report any information which can lead to the arrest and
prosecution of those associated with the CD-IT program to Chinon
America Inc. at 310/533-0274.

           CONTACT:  The Terpin Group, Manhattan Beach, Calif.
                     Rolland Going/Rita Lencioni, 310/798-7875 (phone)
                                                 310/798-7825 (fax)
                                             310/538-7584 (MCI Mail)

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