Metamorphosis

Alias:Next Generation from Lamer-Exterminator
Strain:IRQ, Lamer
detected when:
where:
Classification:System Virus (BootBlock) and Linkvirus (H.Extending) Reset-R
Length:1.Length (1024 (Boot),1060 (Link)) on storage medium 2.Length (1060) in RAM

Preconditions

Operating System(s):AMIGA-DOS
Version/Release:OS 1.2, 1.3, 2.04, 3.0
Computer model(s):All Amiga's
Caroname:IRQ.Metamorphosis

Attributes

Easy identification:Text in files (readable with HexDump-facilities): 'METAMORPHOSIS V1.0- the next Generation from' ' LAMER-EXTERMINATOR ! ',10

Type of Infection:

Self-Identification methods on Disk/Link: Checks for the MET.. string in files Self-Identification methods on Disk/Boot: None (overwrites any bootblock) Self-Identification methods in Memory: Checks for hooked OldOpenLib to point at $7xxxx (absolute memory) Executable File infection: Appending codehunk to executeables in c: dir Overwriting Bootblock Ram-Resident Reset-Resident (COOLCAPTURE/COLDCAPTURE) Infection-preconditions/Link: OldOpenLibrary-call More than 2 Files in C: Directory File smaller than 40000 Bytes Disk not write-protected Infection-preconditions/Boot: Read-access on block 0 (DoIo) Disk not write-protected

Infection Technique:
Infection Trigger:Link: Opening "dos.library" Boot: Reading Bootblock
Storage Media affected:All Media
Interrupts hooked:COLDCAP, COOLCAP, DOIO, OLDOPENLIB
Stealth:
Tunneling/Selfprot:
Oligo/Polymorphism:
Encoding Method:
Damage:Permanent Damage: Overwriting bootblock Formatting floppys (headstep) Transient Damage: Flashing all disk lights after 13 infections (some kind of warning for the author ???) Transient/Permanent damage: May overwrite block 0 (RDB) of the harddisk due to no check for the device wich calles the DoIo-function. Due to not allocated memory areas the virus may be overwritten by other programs or will itself other programs, wich will probably crash the System. The virus will overwrite its own body on link-infection if the File is larger then 39840 and smaller then 40000 bytes due to a calculation bug.
Damage Trigger:counter, 13, 14 infections
Particularities:Virus copys itself to the absolute address of $7fa80 link / $7fa72 boot Infected files will be loaded at $75e40 absolute
Similarities:Link-Infection-Routine is similar to the IRQ-Virus, Damage similar to Lamer-Viruses

Agents

Countermeasures:All
Standard means:VT2.58

Acknowledgements

Location:Virus Test Center, University Hamburg, FRG
Classification by:S. Freitag
Documentation by:S. Freitag
Date:14.12.1993
Information Source:Reverse-analysis of virus-code, Heiner Schneegold

(c) 1996 Virus-Test-Center, University of Hamburg