TIP: Click on subject to list as thread! ANSI
echo: virus_info
to: ROD FEWSTER
from: DANNY SOSEBEE
date: 1997-01-18 13:09:00
subject: Is this true??

Hi Rod,
As the moderator of this echo, I figure you've probably seen or heard of this 
one.  Since I'm by no means a virus expert, I don't know if I should believe 
the following statement or not:
A friend (and programmer) of mine told me a few days back that a virus had 
been found which could physically damage an IDE or SCSI hard drive.  He 
stated that this was done by directly accessing the drive controller and 
instructing the drive to step beyond it's normal limits, jamming the stepper 
arm and thus making the drive unusable.
While it sounds reasonable, I know enough to realize it may or may not be 
true.  Is there in fact a virus (or any sort of program) that can do this 
sort of physical damage?  I've heard the big noise about monitor-damaging 
viruses, and from what I've read here they don't truly exist... but how about 
the above situation?
                                                                Danny
--- PB2.01+FE1.45+DB1.54
---------------
* Origin: Phoenix StarFighter BBS (1:3616/20)

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