VALLEY'S LIBRARIES DEBUGGED : COMPUTER VIRUS HIT ON-LINE SERVICE.Byline: Eric Wahlgren Daily News Staff Writer A computer virus, which paralyzed par·a·lyze tr.v. par·a·lyzed, par·a·lyz·ing, par·a·lyz·es 1. To affect with paralysis; cause to be paralytic. 2. To make unable to move or act: paralyzed by fear. the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Public Library's on-line service, was cleared off computers at six San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. branches Thursday, about a week after it first struck. Library officials said they expect to remove the cyber-bug from systems at 12 other branches elsewhere in Los Angeles by Tuesday at the latest. On Feb. 12, the high-tech malady malady /mal·a·dy/ (-ah-de) disease. mal·a·dy n. A disease, disorder, or ailment. malady a disease or illness. attacked the downtown central branch's Virtual Library - a collection of on-line databases Noun 1. on-line database - (computer science) a database that can be accessed by computers computer database, electronic database, electronic information service offering everything from electronic newspapers to financial information. The virus spread to the Valley and essentially shut down the service that was established in 1995, leaving library patrons without access to the latest bond ratings and other information available on-line. After installing virus protection software on some 250 terminals at the central branch Tuesday, technicians fanned out across the Valley to repair other 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. systems. ``It so happens the Valley branches were being dealt with first,'' said library spokesman Bob Reagan. ``You got to start somewhere.'' Valley branches with Virtual Libraries hit by the virus included the North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Porter Ranch, Sherman Oaks, Mid-Valley and West Valley locations. Frank Navarro, a branch manager at the West Valley facility, said patrons were glad to see the Virtual Library open again. ``It allows them to have access to databases that used to only be available at the central library,'' Navarro said. Library officials do not know whether the virus was intentionally spread by a cyber-bandit or was introduced unwittingly by a library patron with an infected diskette The official name for the floppy disk. See floppy disk. diskette - floppy disk . Patrons routinely download information available in the Virtual Library onto diskettes, meaning the virus could have entered the system by accident. Library officials said it was the first time a high-tech virus had caused so much damage and added that they are still calculating the cost of killing the troublesome bug. |
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