ACA Virus

Alias:---
Strain:---
detected when:October 1988
where:Utrecht (Netherlands)
Classification:System (Bootsector) Virus, Reset-resident
Length:512 Bytes

Preconditions

Operating System(s):Atari TOS
Version/Release:All versions
Computer model(s):All Atari ST,STE
Caroname:ACA

Attributes

Easy identification:If the bootsector is infected, the string "ACA" can be found at bootsector position $04 and $4E. In memory, the same string can be found at $630.

Type of Infection:

Self-Identification: The Virus tests boot sector- position 4 for String "AC"; if string does not match, virus infects boot sector. Reset-resident at address $600 via magic long- word ($12123456) and checksum ($1234).

Infection Technique:
Infection Trigger:Reset
Storage Media affected:The virus infects drive A,B!
Interrupts hooked:No Interrupts used. No system vectors changed
Stealth:
Tunneling/Selfprot:
Oligo/Polymorphism:
Encoding Method:
Damage:Permanent Damage: Only after reset overwriting boot sectors. Transient Damage: Clearing first track
Damage Trigger:Damage occurs after 10 infections.
Particularities:---
Similarities:---

Agents

Countermeasures:---
Standard means:Write-protect the disk. Write a well-known program to the boot sector; 'manually' change the checksum to a value other than $1234.

Acknowledgements

Location:Virus Test Center, University Hamburg, FRG
Classification by:Thomas Piehl
Documentation by:Thomas Piehl
Date:5-June-1990
Information Source:from George R. Woodside

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