YUKON3U.mp
JPG hoax
This
widespread hoax was posted to dozens of usenet newsgroups on March
23rd, 1997. Ignore this hoax warning and do not pass it on. It
is impossible to get infected by downloading and viewing GIF or
JPG pictures.
From: [email protected] (Sammy T.)
Subject: VIRUS WARNING!!: YUKON3U will strike!
Date: Sun, 23 Mar 1997 04:37:37 GMT
Organization: MDM Communications, Inc.
YUKON3U.mp VIRUS IS ABOUT TO STRIKE THE NEWSGROUPS!
As many of you know, the amount of viruses that have been posted
within the past couple of months are tremendous -- now we have 2 new
threats to contend with.
To continue... a medium amount of the recent posts in some of the
Alt.Binaries have contained a time-bomb trojan virus called YUKON3U.mp
which is a derivative of a 2nd generation Mutating Engine developed by
the Dark Avenger -- a self-described "King" of viruses from Bulgaria.
The only difference is that this strain has a stealth capability
beyond the reach of Norton or McAfee Anti-Virus programs latest
updates, with the possible, but not probable exception of Dr.
Soloman's Anti-Virus version 7.69. The encryption technique is
incredible.
The YUKON3U.mp virus is somehow compiled within the UUE code
of the JPG itself, and when decoded will install the virus onto the
boot sector of the hard drive, and lie in wait for the trigger date
sometime in April (changing your internal system clock won't help
since the trigger day changes with each infection). The only constant
is the month itself.
The simple fact of decoding the file via a newsreader or third-party
decoder such as Wincode automatically runs and installs the virus
without detection, thereby eliminating the wait for somebody actually
launching the file by accident (we all know viruses do nothing unless
they're launched).
For all intents and purposes, the JPG is viewable without any problems
and normal in every way, but there is a second file hiding within your
boot sector without detection.
One of the effects carries a nasty manipulation task which damages
hardware -- an interrupt call set to a track value beyond 39, which
will cause the drive heads to move past the inner track of the hard
drive, causing the heads to stick on some models.
That isn't the worst of it. Untitled posts which contain special BOTS
that are basically invisible and cannot be seen or read by newsgroup
readers have also been recently posted according to Dr. Soloman's
web-site.
These BOTS are capable of replacing ASCII characters within all posts
in the Alt. Binaries newsgroups (i,e. H becomes S, G becomes F, and so
on). The BOTS are triggered to alter other user posts by certain
words contained in the post, or by calling upon the Cancel Date of the
article ( probably some time in April ).
It's very possible that the same group who posted the KILL-BOTS last
July are behind this second posting along with the YUKON3U.mp
virii.
*********************************
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of known hoaxes:
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Welcome to my hoax section if
you encounter a message about a virus please send to [email protected]
or call me on ICQ#22015420
I
do not spread hoaxes! these pages are simply to inform other
users that they are hoaxes. Please to not spread hoaxes.
Hoax warnings are typically scare alerts started by malicious
people - and passed on by innocent users who think they
are helping the community by spreading the warning.
Do
not forward hoax messages. There have been cases where e-mail
systems have collapsed after dozens of users forwarded a
false alert to everybody in the company. Corporate users
can get rid of the hoax problem by simply setting a strict
company guideline: End users must not forward virus alarms.
Ever. If such message is received, end users could forward it to the IT department
but not to anyone else.
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