AIDS has been called the "global epidemic." But the number of carriers of that virus is, as the Chinese saying has it, merely a "small witch in the face of a powerful witch" compared to the number of "carriers" of computer viruses. According to estimates from the American information community, the number of computers infected with computer viruses may have already surpassed 100 million.
What's the situation in Taiwan, where the personal computer is king?
Four hundred years after being laid to rest, Michelangelo has had a radical image makeover, becoming famous worldwide as a computer killer. A virus going under the name of the great artist emerges every year on the date of his birth--March 6--destroying all of the documents in the hard disk of the infected computer. Its destructive capacities have unsettled computer buffs all over the globe.
Is Michelangelo only the beginning? Despite the fact that before the event the information community loudly warned everyone to do "virus sweeps," thus greatly reducing the losses on March 6 this year, still many computer devotees who did not know how to "keep aware of danger even in peace" still suffered significant losses in the act of fleeing the disaster.
A computer engineer surnamed Lin, who works in a financial institution, was one of the victims of the "Michelangelo virus."
In the middle of February of this year he signed a contract with a rather large scale local agent for automobiles in Kaohsiung. He used his spare time to design a manpower management computer program for that company.
Early on March 6th, he turned on his personal computer as usual, and prepared to get to work catching up on the program to meet the contractual deadline of early April. As time ticked by, the red light for the hard disk flashed continually, indicating that it was working on something. Yet there wasn't a single movement on the screen. When he realized that something was wrong, and quickly turned off the machine, it was already too late. His hard disk data was almost completely eradicated, and the work into which he had put so much effort for so long was completely washed away. Not only is his anticipated reward now endangered, he may even have to pay a fine for violating the contract.
More than a thousand viruses are waiting for you: He was just one of the million computer users "rubbed out" by Michelangelo. According to estimates of the American Computer Virus Association, on March 6th approximately 5 million computers worldwide were infected by Mick. Moreover, according to statistics of the Information Promotion Association, the number of cases of "illness" in Taiwan was about 1,000. Stories of disaster came out of institutions in the military, state-run corporations, and small and medium enterprises.
Perhaps the nightmare demons of March 6th have disappeared with the tearing of pages off the desk calendar. But the long night for computer users is not over yet. It has been only about six years since computer viruses first appeared in early 1986, but the number of types has already reached 1,200. Some show symptoms as soon as they are transmitted; some don't hit until a certain date is reached or program is executed. When the virus strikes, in its relatively slight form it might give your precious computer a "nervous breakdown," causing it to sing songs bizarrely or to show derisive or humorous phrases on the screen. Those with a bad attitude like Michelangelo will, without fore-warning, ruthlessly eradicate the files on infected hard drives, leading to a "cruel death" amidst chaos.
Virus in the computer, fire in the warehouse: According to estimates of the American journal MIS magazine, in 1992 the US will have 8 million personal computers infected with viruses. By 1995, the losses to business from computer viruses will reach US$50 to 100 million.
In Taiwan, "most organizations are afraid of affecting their image or revealing business secrets, so they will not declare that their computers have been infected," says Wu Hsien-tung, an engineer in the Anti-Virus group of the Information Promotion Commission, "and because of this it is very difficult to estimate just how much damage computer viruses have done in Taiwan." Jack Wu, assistant manager of Trend Micro Devices Inc., which specializes in virus prevention, makes a very apt metaphor for this: "To be infected with a virus is like a major fire in the company warehouse; even if you don't go under, it's still a very serious blow to morale."
Global epidemic: In fact, the rampancy of computer viruses is inseparably related to the lack of respect for computer software copyrights. Because computer viruses are spread by direct contact, one disk deliberately infected will, through duplication and distribution, lead to a geometric growth in the number of victims. Add to this the popularity of international bulletin boards, through whose networks the spread of computer viruses makes all the more real the expression, "remote places are as if next door"--there is no distance they cannot traverse.
For example, the "Black Friday" virus appeared overseas in 1988, and the same condition appeared in Taiwan almost simultaneously, and rather widely at that. Later it was discovered that the original source of the virus was a certain computer game software. It was only because the company which published the software locally had not gotten copyright permission that it was "poisoned."
In the past, most of Taiwan's computer viruses were "shipped in." Already known as the Computer Kingdom, the word about the "export of local products"--i.e. Taiwan viruses--is starting to get around.
Is Michelangelo from Taiwan?: The Dutch police have publicly announced that the infamous Michaelangelo is a "work of art" from Taiwan. The well -known American information specialist Patricia M. Hoffman has traced the history and special features of all kinds of computer viruses. According to what she says, more than ten viruses have been produced in Taiwan.
An even more intriguing tale is this: A professor in the information department of a certain university once gave his students an assignment for winter break to write a virus program and spread it. Whoever's virus was solved last would get the top grade. The winner of this "computer virus playoff"--Wolfman--appears on the full moon day of every month to this day.
Rumors are everywhere, but there is no way to prove any of them. This is because when experts are asked about this problem, most are unwilling to admit it if they are viral killers, but most are also unwilling to deny that they have the "ability" to defeat all challengers. They will only hint darkly and say "what I've heard . . . ." In an exception, the Information Promotion Commission has formally denied the accusation of the Dutch police.
A struggle between good and evil: The world is a dangerous place, and it is not easy to capture the perpetrators of evil, but this in turn draws the good from all sides to fight back. In amendments to the penal code, the Ministry of Justice has added articles setting standards for computer crimes. Those who deploy viruses can be sentenced to up to three years in prison. Still, a law is just a law, and the masterminds are hard to track down, so it is urgent to take matters into one's own hands.
In order to protect precious data in the computer, some computer gamesmen have formed the "Computer Virus Prevention Club." Computer companies have also moved in large numbers to develop virus prevention and virus eradication programs. The problem is that every time the good guys get a leg up, the bad guys also raise their level of attack. The struggle between virus prevention programs and viruses is increasingly vicious, and it's hard to tell who's getting the upper hand. Every time an effective virus prevention program appears, an even stronger virus arrives to knock it out.
More than two years ago, computer player Chen Wen-chin developed a "Virus Terminator" virus prevention program. Its efficiency at sweeping away viruses was excellent, and it sold well for a while. Unexpectedly this raised the ire of virus creators. A virus designed by one who goes by the moniker NCU specially aimed at countering "Virus Terminator" soon followed. "Terminator" had to redo the program, and only now, coming out in its third edition, is it able to leave behind the bitter battle with NCU.
One writer of virus prevention programs, who prefers to remain anonymous, indicated that new viruses are appearing in ever-changing forms, while most virus-prevention writers are in a passive mode. It takes two or three days to destroy a virus, but you only need to change one code in the original virus program and it becomes even nastier and the original virus prevention program becomes ineffective. "This makes people run around until they are exhausted, and it seems all the work is for nothing. I really don't want to write anti-virus programs anymore," he concludes.
An ounce of prevention . . . The average person can't compete against a computer virus expert, and can only work on preventing and eradicating viruses. Although current virus prevention programs cannot give an absolute guarantee that they will not be penetrated by new viruses, this is like having steel bars on the windows: though they won't necessarily stop a thief, "it's better to have them than not." Adding a long-term virus prevention program to one's computer will be an essential preparation for computer buffs in the future. And the idea of using only legal software should be built up as quickly as possible. The most important thing is to have "virus awareness." Don't wait until being hit before going for medicine, and don't ever think that "it can't happen to me."
"Some people only call for help after being infected, but by then we can only sympathize with them!" Wu Chih-chen is frustrated by the negligence most people show toward virus prevention. He points out that before the arrival of Michaelangelo on March 6th, the company gave a lecture on virus prevention at the request of a certain institution. Little did he expect that early in the morning on March 6th his company would receive a call for help from that very organization. To say the right things and listen politely but to do nothing to stop disaster is the way of a fool.
Disk-covering infiltrators is everyone's responsibility: There was also a company on Nanking East Road in Taipei, a trading company with about 200 employees, which was hit during a period of epidemic spreading of computer viruses. After a computer company made a special trip to destroy the virus, within less than three hours the company's entire network was reinfected because an employee carelessly used an adulterated disk. The company boss could only order a halt to the use of floppy disks, allowing only hard drives.
Computer viruses are a new topic which has followed in the wake of the rise in computer usage. Yet it is not simply a topic for diverting chat but is an enemy that you or I could face at any time. This slogan-- Be Careful! There's a computer virus right next to you!--should become epidemic.
[Picture Caption]
When the virus hits, it shows up as something strange or bizarre on the computer screen. Remember the '60s? The Frodovirus flashes on the screen the words "Frodo Lives!"
"Have you ever danced with the devil under a cold moon?" That's a computer virus talking.
The moving smiling face on the computer screen leaves people not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
This virus has an immense appetite, and many a word has been digested by it.
Every new offensive weapon generates a defensive one--computer viruses follow many paths, and virus prevention methods are changing constantly.
If the computer system for the stock market, which affects the destinies of millions of investors, were hit by a virus, the results would be in calculable.
To prevent the intrusion of computer viruses, the General Planning Office of the Government Information Office of the Executive Yuan adopted excellent virus defense policies.
The hard drive seems to be operating non-stop, but nothing is showing on the screen; this means the computer has already hit the jackpot--Michelangelo.
1﹒Strange things don't happen for no reason at all. Someone must be interfering.
2﹒I'll use my magic mirror computer to see--then we'll know what devil is behind this.
3﹒Ha, ha, ha, ha! Ahhh!
4﹒What kind of strange creature was it?
The Michelangelo computer virus.
Tsai Chih-chung, March 18, United Daily News
"Have you ever danced with the devil under a cold moon?" That's a computer virus talking.
The moving smiling face on the computer screen leaves people not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
This virus has an immense appetite, and many a word has been digested by it.
Every new offensive weapon generates a defensive one--computer viruses follow many paths, and virus prevention methods are changing constantly.
To prevent the intrusion of computer viruses, the General Planning Office of the Government Information Office of the Executive Yuan adopted excellent virus defense policies.
If the computer system for the stock market, which affects the destinies of millions of investors, were hit by a virus, the results would be in calculable.
The hard drive seems to be operating non-stop, but nothing is showing on the screen; this means the computer has already hit the jackpot--Michelangelo.
Tsai Chih-chung, March 18, United Daily News.
