Knowledge (XXG)

CIH (computer virus)

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516: 268: 502: 396:, but by far the most important variable in CIH's success in writing to a machine's BIOS is the type of Flash ROM chip in the machine. Different Flash ROM chips (or chip families) have different write-enable routines specific to those chips. CIH makes no attempt to test for the Flash ROM type in its victim machines and has only one write-enable sequence. 415:
of the first partition and the first copy of the FAT of the first partition. The MBR and boot sectors can simply be replaced with copies of the standard versions; the partition table can be rebuilt by scanning over the entire drive and the first copy of the FAT can be restored from the second copy.
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CIH infects Portable Executable files by splitting the bulk of its code into small slivers inserted into the inter-section gaps commonly seen in PE files and writing a small re-assembly routine and table of its own code segments' locations into unused space in the tail of the PE header. This earned
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The name "Spacefiller" was introduced because most viruses write their code to the end of the infected file, with infected files being detectable because their file size increases. In contrast, CIH looks for gaps in the existing program code, where it then writes its code, preventing an increase in
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The name "Chernobyl Virus" was coined sometime after the virus was already well known as CIH and refers to the complete coincidence of the payload trigger date in some variants of the virus (actually the virus creation date in 1998, to trigger exactly a year later) and the
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If the second payload executes successfully, the computer will not start at all. Reprogramming or replacement of the Flash BIOS chip is then required, as most systems that CIH can affect predate BIOS restoration features.
386:. BIOSes that can be successfully written to by the virus have critical boot-time codes replaced with junk. This routine only works on some machines. Much emphasis has been put on machines with motherboards based on the 47: 117:
developers. Chen stated that after classmates at Tatung University spread the virus, he apologized to the school and made an antivirus program available for public download. Weng Shi-hao (翁世豪), a student at
209:. Both of these payloads served to render the host computer inoperable, and for most ordinary users, the virus essentially destroyed the PC. Technically, however, it was possible to replace the 1062: 82:
that first emerged in 1998. Its payload is highly destructive to vulnerable systems, overwriting critical information on infected system drives and, in some cases, destroying the system
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A modified version of the virus called CIH.1106 was discovered in December 2002, but it is not widespread and only affects Windows 9x-based systems.
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If the first partition is not FAT32 or is smaller than 1 GB, the bulk of user data on that partition will still be intact, but without the
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file that contained a dropper routine for the CIH virus was circulated around the internet under the guise of a nude picture of
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Today, CIH is not as widespread as it once was, due to awareness of the threat and the fact that it only affects older
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For the first payload, any information that the virus has overwritten with zeros is lost. If the first partition is
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file format under the Windows 9x-based operating systems, Windows 95, 98, and ME. CIH does not spread under
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CIH's dual payload was delivered for the first time on April 26, 1999, with most of the damage occurring in
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This means a complete recovery with no loss of user data can be performed automatically by a tool like
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The payload, which is considered extremely dangerous, first involves the virus overwriting the first
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Chen claimed to have written the virus as a challenge against bold claims of antiviral efficiency by
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shipped a software update to their CD-R400 drives that was infected with the virus. In July 1998, a
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7 attendees were discovered by the organizers to have been infected with CIH. On December 31, 1999,
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shipped with the CIH virus, just one month before the virus would trigger. In July 1999, copies of
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and FAT it will be difficult to find it, especially if there is significant fragmentation.
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This variant is the most common one and activates on April 26. It contains the string:
424: 248: 79: 1125: 1027: 565: 521: 123: 1042: 961: 507: 139: 694: 609:(in Chinese). 行政執行署嘉義行政執行處. 2005-12-10. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. 1032: 969: 412: 364: 337: 267: 1057: 979: 974: 497: 333: 233: 229: 225: 221: 202: 158: 127: 76: 774: 745: 1067: 806: 210: 177: 17: 501: 1100: 404: 356: 345: 244: 240: 198: 475:
This variant activates on the 26th of any month. It contains the string
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CIH another name, "Spacefiller". The size of the virus is around 1
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came forward with a lawsuit. Nevertheless, these events led to new
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This variant also activates on April 26. It contains the string:
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The virus first emerged in 1998. In March 1999, several thousand
709:"US Report: Gamers believe Activision's 'SiN' carries CIH virus" 383: 206: 194: 83: 840: 685:"Back Orifice CDs infected with CIH virus - Tech News on ZDNet" 417: 261: 239:
The virus made another comeback in 2001 when a variant of the
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This variant activates on August 2 instead of April 26.
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file size; in that way, the virus avoids detection.
1076: 1008: 960: 940: 924: 908: 901: 39: 585:"從駭電腦到愛旅行─昔日網路小子陳盈豪 - 親子天下雜誌8期 - 陳盈豪,網路世界,宅男,網路沉迷" 54:Antivirus intercept message on a Windows 95 system 382:The second payload tries to write to the Flash 30:For a similar signature in FAT OEM labels, see 638:"What is the Chernobyl Virus? (with pictures)" 205:with zeros and then attacked certain types of 86:. The virus was created by Chen Ing-hau (陳盈豪, 852: 8: 828:on how to repair most of the damage from CIH 817:News article about the Jennifer Lopez e-mail 579: 577: 575: 296:. Unsourced material may be challenged and 905: 859: 845: 837: 732:"Is the CIH virus on the endangered list?" 45: 316:Learn how and when to remove this message 190:was infected by one of its mirror sites. 591:(in Chinese). 2013-06-07. Archived from 564:(in Chinese). 2006-08-25. Archived from 552: 550: 438: 546: 407:, all that will get overwritten is the 632: 630: 612: 535:Timeline of computer viruses and worms 110:35,801,231.56) in commercial damages. 36: 663:"Some Aptivas shipped with CIH virus" 7: 367:0. This deletes the contents of the 294:adding citations to reliable sources 607:"打擊駭客,不再無法可施 - 安全常識 - 法務部行政執行署嘉義分署" 461:CIH v1.3/CIH.1010.A and CIH1010.B 25: 673:from the original on 2007-01-04. 514: 500: 266: 775:"Virus:DOS/CIH | F-Secure Labs" 756:from the original on 2001-01-28 693:. July 14, 1999. Archived from 371:, and may cause the machine to 730:Lemos, Robert (May 25, 1999). 530:Comparison of computer viruses 1: 715:. 28 Jul 1998. Archived from 352:3 to 0 to hook system calls. 213:, and methods for recovering 197:. CIH filled the first 1024 812:Symantec CIH Technical Page 807:F-Secure CIH Technical Page 411:, the partition table, the 1163: 661:Weil, Nancy (1999-04-07). 363:with zeroes, beginning at 163:remote administration tool 29: 872: 619:: CS1 maint: unfit URL ( 58: 53: 44: 27:Windows 9x computer virus 138:, which happened in the 130:legislation in Taiwan. 328:CIH spreads under the 802:F-Secure CIH Database 403:, and over about one 236:) operating systems. 1147:Taiwanese inventions 1142:Hacking in the 1990s 1137:Hacking in the 2000s 1132:Windows file viruses 932:Operation CyberSnare 867:Hacking in the 1990s 558:"從CIH「重裝駭客」變身「除錯超人」" 377:blue screen of death 290:improve this section 217:data emerged later. 182:first-person shooter 77:Microsoft Windows 9x 832:CIH 1.4 source code 330:Portable Executable 142:on April 26, 1986. 916:Operation Sundevil 472:CIH v1.4/CIH.1019 450:CIH v1.2/CIH.1003 136:Chernobyl disaster 120:Tamkang University 115:antivirus software 1119: 1118: 956: 955: 896: 895: 491: 490: 326: 325: 318: 166:Back Orifice 2000 96:Tatung University 62: 61: 32:FAT IHC OEM label 16:(Redirected from 1154: 906: 875: 874: 861: 854: 847: 838: 789: 788: 786: 785: 779:www.f-secure.com 771: 765: 764: 762: 761: 742: 736: 735: 727: 721: 720: 705: 699: 698: 681: 675: 674: 658: 652: 651: 649: 648: 642:Easy Tech Junkie 634: 625: 624: 618: 610: 603: 597: 596: 589:parenting.com.tw 581: 570: 569: 554: 524: 519: 518: 517: 510: 505: 504: 478: 467: 456: 439: 359:(1024KB) of the 321: 314: 310: 307: 301: 270: 262: 94:), a student at 67:, also known as 49: 37: 21: 1162: 1161: 1157: 1156: 1155: 1153: 1152: 1151: 1122: 1121: 1120: 1115: 1072: 1004: 952: 936: 920: 897: 868: 865: 798: 793: 792: 783: 781: 773: 772: 768: 759: 757: 746:"Virus:DOS/CIH" 744: 743: 739: 729: 728: 724: 707: 706: 702: 683: 682: 678: 660: 659: 655: 646: 644: 636: 635: 628: 611: 605: 604: 600: 583: 582: 573: 556: 555: 548: 543: 520: 515: 513: 506: 499: 496: 477:CIH v1.4 TATUNG 476: 465: 454: 437: 369:partition table 322: 311: 305: 302: 287: 271: 260: 258:Virus specifics 241:LoveLetter Worm 180:version of the 152: 35: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1160: 1158: 1150: 1149: 1144: 1139: 1134: 1124: 1123: 1117: 1116: 1114: 1113: 1108: 1103: 1098: 1093: 1088: 1082: 1080: 1074: 1073: 1071: 1070: 1065: 1060: 1055: 1053:Jonathan James 1050: 1045: 1040: 1035: 1030: 1025: 1020: 1014: 1012: 1006: 1005: 1003: 1002: 997: 992: 987: 982: 977: 972: 966: 964: 958: 957: 954: 953: 951: 950: 948:Moonlight Maze 944: 942: 938: 937: 935: 934: 928: 926: 922: 921: 919: 918: 912: 910: 903: 899: 898: 894: 893: 887: 882: 873: 870: 869: 866: 864: 863: 856: 849: 841: 835: 834: 829: 819: 814: 809: 804: 797: 796:External links 794: 791: 790: 766: 737: 722: 719:on 2009-04-17. 700: 697:on 2007-03-11. 676: 653: 626: 598: 595:on 2013-06-07. 571: 568:on 2013-04-17. 545: 544: 542: 539: 538: 537: 532: 526: 525: 511: 495: 492: 489: 488: 485: 481: 480: 473: 469: 468: 462: 458: 457: 451: 447: 446: 443: 436: 433: 425:root directory 324: 323: 274: 272: 265: 259: 256: 249:Jennifer Lopez 201:of the host's 151: 148: 128:computer crime 80:computer virus 60: 59: 56: 55: 51: 50: 42: 41: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1159: 1148: 1145: 1143: 1140: 1138: 1135: 1133: 1130: 1129: 1127: 1112: 1109: 1107: 1104: 1102: 1099: 1097: 1094: 1092: 1089: 1087: 1084: 1083: 1081: 1079: 1075: 1069: 1066: 1064: 1061: 1059: 1056: 1054: 1051: 1049: 1048:Erik Bloodaxe 1046: 1044: 1041: 1039: 1036: 1034: 1031: 1029: 1026: 1024: 1021: 1019: 1016: 1015: 1013: 1011: 1007: 1001: 998: 996: 993: 991: 988: 986: 983: 981: 978: 976: 973: 971: 968: 967: 965: 963: 959: 949: 946: 945: 943: 939: 933: 930: 929: 927: 923: 917: 914: 913: 911: 907: 904: 900: 892: → 891: 888: 886: 883: 881: 878:←  877: 876: 871: 862: 857: 855: 850: 848: 843: 842: 839: 833: 830: 827: 823: 820: 818: 815: 813: 810: 808: 805: 803: 800: 799: 795: 780: 776: 770: 767: 755: 751: 750:F-Secure Labs 747: 741: 738: 733: 726: 723: 718: 714: 710: 704: 701: 696: 692: 691: 686: 680: 677: 672: 668: 664: 657: 654: 643: 639: 633: 631: 627: 622: 616: 608: 602: 599: 594: 590: 586: 580: 578: 576: 572: 567: 563: 562:iThome online 559: 553: 551: 547: 540: 536: 533: 531: 528: 527: 523: 522:Taiwan portal 512: 509: 503: 498: 493: 486: 483: 482: 474: 471: 470: 466:CIH v1.3 TTIT 463: 460: 459: 455:CIH v1.2 TTIT 452: 449: 448: 444: 441: 440: 434: 432: 428: 426: 421: 419: 414: 410: 406: 402: 397: 395: 392: 389: 385: 380: 378: 374: 370: 366: 362: 358: 353: 351: 347: 341: 339: 335: 331: 320: 317: 309: 299: 295: 291: 285: 284: 280: 275:This section 273: 269: 264: 263: 257: 255: 252: 250: 246: 242: 237: 235: 231: 227: 223: 218: 216: 212: 208: 204: 200: 196: 191: 189: 188: 183: 179: 175: 171: 168:given out to 167: 164: 160: 157: 149: 147: 143: 141: 137: 131: 129: 125: 121: 116: 111: 109: 105: 101: 97: 93: 89: 85: 81: 78: 74: 70: 66: 57: 52: 48: 43: 38: 33: 19: 1111:Michelangelo 1085: 1063:Steven Games 1058:Phiber Optik 1043:Dark Avenger 1023:The Analyzer 826:Steve Gibson 782:. Retrieved 778: 769: 758:. Retrieved 749: 740: 725: 717:the original 712: 703: 695:the original 688: 679: 666: 656: 645:. Retrieved 641: 601: 593:the original 588: 566:the original 561: 508:1990s portal 445:Description 429: 422: 398: 381: 354: 342: 327: 312: 306:October 2021 303: 288:Please help 276: 253: 238: 219: 192: 185: 153: 144: 140:Soviet Union 132: 112: 92:Chén Yíngháo 91: 72: 68: 64: 63: 18:Chen Ing Hau 1018:Acid Phreak 1010:Individuals 990:Level Seven 970:CyberThrill 713:ZDNet.co.uk 413:boot sector 375:or cue the 338:Windows 3.x 106:1 billion ( 73:Spacefiller 1126:Categories 980:Global kOS 975:globalHell 824:- Site by 784:2023-11-05 760:2021-12-07 647:2023-02-16 541:References 361:hard drive 340:or below. 334:Windows NT 222:Windows 9x 203:boot drive 124:no victims 1068:YTCracker 902:Incidents 484:CIH.1049 277:does not 215:hard disk 211:BIOS chip 69:Chernobyl 1038:Cucumber 885:Timeline 754:Archived 671:Archived 615:cite web 494:See also 442:Moniker 435:Variants 405:gigabyte 357:megabyte 346:kilobyte 1106:Melissa 1091:Happy99 1078:Malware 1033:Corrupt 995:Milw0rm 822:FIX-CIH 418:Fix CIH 394:chipset 298:removed 283:sources 170:DEF CON 159:Aptivas 150:History 75:, is a 1028:Condor 962:Groups 365:sector 174:Yamaha 100:Taiwan 88:pinyin 985:L0pht 890:2000s 880:1980s 690:ZDNet 401:FAT32 391:430TX 388:Intel 243:in a 184:game 1096:Hare 941:1998 925:1995 909:1990 621:link 384:BIOS 373:hang 350:ring 281:any 279:cite 207:BIOS 195:Asia 178:demo 108:US$ 104:NT$ 84:BIOS 1101:KAK 1086:CIH 1000:MOD 667:CNN 409:MBR 292:by 245:VBS 187:SiN 156:IBM 98:in 71:or 65:CIH 40:CIH 1128:: 777:. 752:. 748:. 711:. 687:. 669:. 665:. 640:. 629:^ 617:}} 613:{{ 587:. 574:^ 560:. 549:^ 479:. 420:. 379:. 251:. 234:ME 232:, 230:98 228:, 226:95 199:KB 90:: 860:e 853:t 846:v 787:. 763:. 734:. 650:. 623:) 319:) 313:( 308:) 304:( 300:. 286:. 224:( 34:. 20:)

Index

Chen Ing Hau
FAT IHC OEM label

Microsoft Windows 9x
computer virus
BIOS
pinyin
Tatung University
Taiwan
NT$
US$
antivirus software
Tamkang University
no victims
computer crime
Chernobyl disaster
Soviet Union
IBM
Aptivas
remote administration tool
Back Orifice 2000
DEF CON
Yamaha
demo
first-person shooter
SiN
Asia
KB
boot drive
BIOS

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