The Old Joel on Software Forum: Part 3 (of 5)

CDC computer virus

Whenever I type the three letters CDC, my computer beeps. This is in Outlook, Word, Notepad even the Run input box.

Anyone else have this? Is it a virus or what???

Interaction Architect
Wednesday, November 5, 2003

Don't type that.

No, I mean it.

anon
Wednesday, November 5, 2003

Fortunately, there is no English word with that trigraph.

Maybe it's your spellchecker.

Brian
Wednesday, November 5, 2003

What antivirus software are you using? If it's not detecting it, maybe you should try a different antivirus.

Mike Swieton
Wednesday, November 5, 2003

Is it a notebook? For some reason my notebook beeps when I press certain key combinations that involve the Shift key. It's done that since the day I bought it, through numerous OS reinstalls, etc. I've never figured out why, though it only happens when I type quickly, so I expect that maybe I'm not releasing one key before pressing the next and it's getting "upset".

John C.
Wednesday, November 5, 2003

>> Fortunately, there is no English word with that trigraph.

Yeah, assuming he doesn't work for the Centers for Design Control!

SomeBody
Wednesday, November 5, 2003

Or Cult of the Dead Cow.

tomislav
Wednesday, November 5, 2003

Doesn't sound good...

You might be infected with CDC's Back Orifice or BO2K backdoor.

Download ActivePorts and see if your PC is listening on UDP ports:

31337, 31338, 8787, 54320, or 54321

doh.
Wednesday, November 5, 2003

You can also do a free virus scan at Trend Micro's web site (they use an ActiveX plug-in to scan your PC):

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp

doh.
Wednesday, November 5, 2003

I'm using Norton AntiVirus 2004 on a Dell laptop. I rebooted and it has stopped doing it now. Very wierd.

Interaction Architect
Wednesday, November 5, 2003

John C., I'm now seeing exactly what you describe... Various other combinations will do it eg VFV MJ XSX - very strange.

Interaction Architect
Thursday, November 6, 2003

Alternative approach to fight virus

We know that, computer virus can infect a computer system, because most of computer operations are using computer programs. Therefore to fight virus, you will need something ‘mechanical’ and “manual”.

Abstract.
Assume that data storage of a computer hard disk is structurally divided into to two groups; ‘storage one’ and ‘storage two’ and that the only way of data communication between each of the respective ‘data storage’ and the CPU can only be done through a manually operated ‘mechanical switch system’. By manually switching this ‘mechanical switch system’, the computer system can be operated by using ‘data storage one and data storage two’ define as “close mode” or using ‘data storage two only’ define as “open mode”, each of those modes of operation has the following characteristics:

1.    Computer work in “open mode”.
•    Executable operating system is stored in ‘data storage two’. The feature of the respective operating system should be set to be very minimal, since the purpose of this mode is mainly for communication only.
•    The ‘mechanical switch system’ is in a position of connecting ‘data storage two’ and CPU but will disconnect ‘data storage one’ to CPU.
•    The computer system has the option to be connected to Internet or other computer network; this is possible because the ‘mechanical switch system’ connect the modem to the computer system.

2.    Computer work in “close mode”.
•    Executable operating system is stored in ‘data storage one’. The feature of the operating system is set to be “full”.
•    The ‘mechanical switch system’ is in a position of connecting ‘data storage two’ and also ‘data storage one’ to CPU.
•    Computer system has no option to be connected to Internet or other computer network, because ‘the mechanical switch’ is closing the communication line between computer and modem.
•    Data stored in ‘data storage two’ and ‘data storage one’ are both accessible, however opening, moving or copying file in data ‘storage two’ should be done cautiously and only if you are sure that the respective files are free from virus.
•    Sources of operating system and/or copy of executable operating system for ‘open mode’ as a back up is stored in ‘data storage one’.

If the above computer operate in ‘open mode’ and connect to internet, following situation will take place: Intruder may penetrate ‘data storage two’, however intruder will never ever get in to ‘data storage one’, the ‘mechanical switch’ will absolutely block out any effort of any intruder to reach ‘data storage one’. Computer in ‘open mode’ is vulnerable to intruder and computer virus, however if a virus infect data storage two, than simply clean up the whole data in ‘storage two’ and switch the mode of operation in to ‘close mode’ where copy of (executable) operating system for ‘open mode’ is stored in ‘data storage one’ and can be down loaded into data ‘storage two’.

If the above computer operates in ‘close mode’, following situation will take place: Data can be move back and forward between ‘data storage one’ and ‘data storage two’ through ‘mechanical switch system’.

Since the computer in ‘close mode’ can not communicate with other computer through computer network, things can be prepared in ‘data storage one’ , than move the respective data in to ‘data storage two’, switch the computer in to ‘open mode’ than send the respective data to other computer in the network.

In both ‘close mode’ and ‘open mode’ you will have the absolute security that no one in the network can ever “watch” your private data stored in ‘data storage one’.------------

sugi ranoeseminto
Friday, January 30, 2004