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- SYMANTEC CORPORATION - PETER NORTON GROUP
- READ.ME file for The Norton AntiVirus Michelangelo Edition
- February 15, 1992
-
-
- Welcome to The Norton AntiVirus Michelangelo Edition!
-
- This file contains information about The Norton AntiVirus
- Michelangelo Edition, and the complete version of The Norton
- AntiVirus for DOS and Windows.
-
- To print this file from the DOS prompt, type:
-
- COPY READ.ME PRN:
-
-
- This document has three sections:
-
- 1) Ordering Information: tells you how to order the complete
- version of The Norton AntiVirus.
- 2) Michelangelo Information
- 3) Technical Information: includes information on how to obtain
- Virus Definition Updates for the complete version of The Norton
- AntiVirus.
- 4) General Virus Information: describes the 10 most common DOS
- viruses.
-
-
- 1) ORDERING INFORMATION
-
- To get the complete DOS and Windows version of The Norton
- AntiVirus Version 2.0 for DOS and Windows, see your local
- dealer or, for a special limited time $99 U.S. offer, call:
-
- in USA and Canada: 1-800-441-7234
- in Europe: 31-71-353-111
- in UK: 0628-776343
- in Asia Pacific, Africa & Latin America: 0101-408-252-3570
- in Australia: 02-879-6577
-
- To obtain additional copies of The Norton AntiVirus
- Michelangelo Edition, download them from the Symantec BBS
- or CompuServe:
-
- Symantec BBS (2400 baud) 1-408-973-9598
- Symantec BBS (9600 baud) 1-408-973-9834
-
- CompuServe: Enter "GO NORTON"
-
- In USA and Canada, Phone: 1-800-343-4714, Ext. 707
-
-
- 2) MORE INFORMATION ON MICHELANGELO
-
- The Michelangelo virus activates itself on March 6th, the
- anniversary of Michelangelo's birth. The Michelangelo virus is
- spread only by floppy disks - not over networks or by connecting
- to electronic on line services and bulletin boards. The virus is
- transferred to memory and hard disks when an attempt is made to
- start up (boot) your computer from a floppy disk that is infected.
- The floppy does not have to be a bootable floppy disk; it can be
- simply a floppy disk with data files on it. Once the virus is on
- the hard disk, it will infect every floppy that you put in your
- computer, thereby creating further infections that help it
- continue to spread.
-
- On March 6th, if the machine is infected when it is started, the
- virus will be activated and will begin formatting the hard disk.
- This will cause all data on the hard disk to be irretrievably
- destroyed.
-
- The Norton AntiVirus Michelangelo Edition detects and removes the
- Michelangelo virus, and will restore the hard disk partition table
- to its original location. Remember, however, that once the virus
- activates, even though it can be removed after it activates, the
- damage that it causes is unrecoverable.
-
- For recorded answers to frequently asked technical questions about
- this free software and for additional information on the
- Michelangelo virus, phone the Symantec Virus Newsline at
- 1-310-828-2906.
-
-
-
- 3) TECHNICAL INFORMATION
-
- The complete Norton AntiVirus Version 2.0 for DOS and Windows is a
- comprehensive solution for preventing viruses from infecting your
- PC. It detects and removes over 1000 known viruses and strains, and
- protects against unknown viruses by monitoring your system for file
- irregularities that could signal an unknown virus at work. Should
- Norton AntiVirus detect an infection, it can repair most infected
- files quickly and easily. An exclusive self-update feature lets you
- instantly protect your system from newly discovered viruses by
- calling Symantec's Virus Newsline at 1-310-828-2906.
-
- The Norton AntiVirus features:
-
- Virus Intercept - A memory resident program that protects against
- infected files entering your system. Virus Intercept requires as
- little as 1K RAM, and can load in high memory.
-
- Virus Clinic - A program that scans your system for the presence
- of known viruses and file irregularities, and repairs infections
- caused by most known viruses.
-
- Flexible Scanning Features - The Norton AntiVirus can be
- configured to quickly check your entire computer system for virus
- infection, or check executable files only. Scanning can be set to
- occur every time you start your computer, or only on demand.
-
- Virus Updates - The Norton AntiVirus lets you immediately update
- your protection without having to wait for software updates.
- Symantec's 24-hour Virus Newsline offers access to the latest-
- breaking news about new viruses and instructions on how to
- instantly protect your system from them. Virus updates can be
- downloaded from the Symantec BBS or CompuServe, entered manually
- with information obtained from the Symantec Virus Newsline, or
- obtained on disk from the Symantec Virus Definition Disk Service.
-
- Configurable Options - Gives you control over the way The Norton
- AntiVirus operates. You can customize scanning options, customize
- the "virus alert" message, select from three different levels of
- virus defense, and more. Your settings can be locked to provide
- complete protection.
-
- Audit Trail - Tracks all virus-related activity.
-
- Integrated DOS and Windows application - The Norton AntiVirus is
- both a complete Windows application, and an easy-to-use DOS
- program, offering comprehensive virus defense for both DOS and
- Windows users.
-
- Network Support - Scans for viruses on any network drive, and
- prevents viruses from launching across a network.
-
- The Norton AntiVirus protects against more than 1,000 viruses and
- strains. It takes as little as 1K RAM and can load high.
-
- System Requirements:
-
- IBM PC, XT, AT, PS/2 and compatibles
- DOS 3.1 or higher
- 384K RAM
- RAM-resident option requires as little as 1K RAM
- Compatible with Microsoft Windows 3.0
- Works with any floppy disk, hard disk, or removable media
- Mouse support
- Network compatible with Novell Netware 286 and 386, 3COM Open,
- OS/2 LAN Manager and more
-
-
-
-
- 4) GENERAL VIRUS INFORMATION
-
- The 10 most common DOS viruses are:
-
- Stoned:
- The most common virus. Infects hard disk partition table and
- floppy diskette boot sector.
-
- Jerusalem-B:
- Activates on Friday the 13th. The second most common virus.
- Strain will delete any files executed on a Friday the 13th. Can
- cause enormous amount of file growth due to multiple infections.
-
- Disk Killer :
- Activates after 48 hours of computer usage time. Single most
- destructive MS-DOS virus. It XORs the entire hard disk and
- irrevocably destroys all data.
-
- Frodo (4096):
- Activates on September 22.
- This destructive memory-resident virus uses stealth technique on
- cross-link files and may even corrupt data files. On September
- 22, it activates and the system hangs.
-
- Ping-Pong (Italian-A):
- An infector of boot sectors, activates on a (Ping Pong) random
- basis, sending a 'pong-like' white ball bouncing around the
- screen.
-
- Joshi:
- Activates on January 5th. A stealth infector of floppy diskette
- boot sector and hard disk partition tables. On January 5th, it
- displays a message asking the user to type "Happy Birthday Joshi".
-
- Michelangelo: (see above)
-
- Yankee Doodle:
- A memory-resident infector that plays "Yankee Doodle" at 5:00 PM
- and increases the infected program size.
-
- Azusa:
- This virus infects hard disk partition table and floppy diskette
- boot sectors. It occasionally disables the LPT1 and COM1 ports. It
- can also cause floppy drives to refuse to acknowledge that disks
- have been swapped.
-
- Dark Avenger:
- Infects .COM, .EXE and .SYS files. After every 16th file has been
- infected, the virus overwrites a random sector of the hard disk
- destroying programs and data files in that sector.
-
- For additional virus information, phone the Symantec Virus
- Newsline at 1-310-828-2906.
-
-
-