'CYBERTEURS' AIM VIRUS AT WINDOWS 95.Byline: Sue Leeman Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. Software saboteurs have created the first computer virus specifically targeted at Microsoft's Windows 95 program, British researchers said Sunday. The virus can corrupt programs so that they no longer function, and then spread to other users' machines, Paul Ducklin, an analyst for the British software company Sophos, told the Associated Press. "It is the first virus we've seen that is written specifically for Windows 95," said Ducklin, whose company specializes in writing programs that destroy viruses. "So, although it is not particularly well written, Boza will go down in history," Ducklin said. Analysts have named the virus Boza after a Bulgarian liquor liquor /li·quor/ (lik´er) (li´kwor) pl. liquors, liquo´res [L.] 1. a liquid, especially an aqueous solution containing a medicinal substance. 2. "so powerful that just looking at it will give you a headache," Ducklin said. Fortunately for the millions of users of Windows 95, the virus does not appear to be particularly contagious contagious /con·ta·gious/ (-jus) capable of being transmitted from one individual to another, as a contagious disease; communicable. con·ta·gious adj. 1. Of or relating to contagion. . "To infect infect /in·fect/ (in-fekt´) 1. to invade and produce infection in. 2. to transmit a pathogen or disease to. in·fect v. 1. someone else's machine, you would have to give them an infected in·fect tr.v. in·fect·ed, in·fect·ing, in·fects 1. To contaminate with a pathogenic microorganism or agent. 2. To communicate a pathogen or disease to. 3. To invade and produce infection in. program, and they would have to run it," Alan Solomon, chairman of the S and S International software firm, told The Independent newspaper. "Most people don't swap programs around like that," Solomon said. Ducklin said Boza is not yet "in the wild" - computer talk for a virus that is replicating itself on regular users' personal computers. So far, it is circulating cir·cu·late v. cir·cu·lat·ed, cir·cu·lat·ing, cir·cu·lates v.intr. 1. To move in or flow through a circle or circuit: blood circulating through the body. 2. mainly among companies that make anti-virus programs, Ducklin said. Software is available to destroy it. |
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