%%File: VIRS0384.TXT %%Name/Aliases: Free Agent, timer %%Platform: PC/MS-DOS %%Type: Vaporware Virus; not real., %%Disk Location: %%Features: %%Damage: %%Size: %%See Also: %%Notes: The following bogus message was distributed to several news groups. It claims that the Free Agent program from Solomon has a time bomb. Solomon claims this is false. - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 02 Feb 1996 09:59:57 -0500 (EST) From: Managing Director To: Subject: Free-Agent - timer Virus!! ALERT!! Serious threat.. 02 February 1996 - Bullitin Report. Please read the following and take it very seriously. During the designe stages of the beta version of Free-Agent, an employee was sacked for steeling company property. Until yesterday no nobody knew that the person in question had logged into the main computer on the night that he had been sacked, he changed the coding within Free-Agent so that on the 01st February 1996 a time bomb would go off. Anybody using Free-Agent has already been infected. THIS IS SERIOUS::::::::: In order to clean your hard disk of this virus you must first do a low level format. Then make sure any disks you have used since yesterday are destroyed as we currently have no cure for this virus, it is a very advanced polymorphic virus with a Trojan side affect, meaning that it will copy itself only once per disk, after that it waits until you switch of you PC and when you turn on again, it is to late the Virus has already infected your DBR and MBR, if left to long it will destroy your Partition sectors and you will have no choice but to destroy the disk. A low level format after this will result in an error unable to format hard disk. If the information stored on your disk is very valuable then we do a data recovery service, you can ring us on +44 (0) 1296 318733 UK.. Or e-mail myself directly, I will respond as soon as I can. If you have only switched on and did not use the computer yesterday, then do this:- Remove your copy of Free-Agent and do virus recovery procedure as laid out in your anti-virus manual. This is a serious threat and could cost business thousands of dollars, unless you act fast.. REMEMBER: Low level Format then Destroy used floppies. Hopefully you will all have made backups of your software. Just remember not to reload your original copy of Free-Agent. Forte are currently decoding the software and promise me they will have it on the net at 18:00hrs tonight GMT - ------- End of Forwarded Message