FBI investigating 911 virus
Published: 03 Apr 2000 08:25 BST
The FBI and National Infrastructure Protection Center are investigating a computer virus that can erase hard drives and dial 911 emergency systems.
According to a NIPC advisory issued Saturday, the 911 virus had a "relatively minor dissemination" limited to the Houston, Texas, area.
The NIPC advisory said the virus script was "disseminated" via source computers, which scanned "several thousand computers through four Internet service providers" -- America Online, AT&T, MCI and NetZero.
The FBI discovered the virus during a "recent and breaking" case.
The 911 virus script "may be placed in hidden directories named 'chode,' 'foreskin' or 'dickhair,'" the advisory said.
How it works
Once it infects a computer, the NPIC said, the 911 virus will:
"Actively search the Internet" for computer systems configured for file- and print-sharing and copy itself onto those systems;
- Overwrite hard drives; and
- Cause the infected computers to dial 911.
The FBI and NIPC are continuing to investigate the virus' code.
What do you think? Tell the Mailroom. And read what others have said.
Did you find this article useful?
42 out of 97 people found this useful
- Share this article:
