SADDAM Virus (31-July-1993)
Entry...............: SADDAM Virus
Alias(es)...........: IRAK = Saddam Hussein = Disk-Validator Virus
Virus Strain........: Saddam Virus Strain
Virus detected when.: March 1991
              where.: Australia
Classification......: System virus (replacing), memory resident
Length of Virus.....: 1.Length on storage medium: 1848 bytes
                      2.Length in RAM           : 1936 bytes
--------------------- Preconditions ------------------------------------
Operating System(s).: AMIGA-DOS
Version/Release.....: 1.2/all, 1.3/all
Computer model(s)...: All AMIGA models
--------------------- Attributes ---------------------------------------
Easy Identification.: ---
Type of infection...: Self-identification method: virus searches for an
                         encryption-byte in Disk-Validator system program 
                         on disk that fits with its own.
                      System infection: virus replaces system program 
                         Disk-Validator in L:. Directory on disk contains
                         following system routines/vectors:
                         System routines: - BeginIO(trackdisk.device)
                                          - Close(trackdisk.device)
                                          - InitResident(exec.library)
                                          - OpenWindow(intuition.library)
                         System vectors:  - ColdCapture(execbase)
                                          - CoolCapture(execbase)
                                          - KickTagptr(resident-struct.)
Infection Trigger...: Restart validator starts Disk-Validator program,
                         when Bitmap on disk is not valid. This will not
                         work properly with Amiga OS Version 2.0, as
                         there is no Disk-Validator program use (no re-
                         start validator process in AmigaOS V2.0)
Storage media affected: Any floppy disk (every trackdisk.device)
Interrupts hooked...: Vertikal Blank interrupt works like a watchdog,
                      which guarantees that virus will stay in memory.
Damage..............: Permanent damage: 
                         1. If no Disk-Validator program exists on disk 
                            or no L: directory, both are built (re-
                            placing Disk-Validator program on disk).
                         2. Virus destroys a block by writing "IRAK" 
                            over existing data.
                         3. Virus makes Bitmap NOT VALID, so running
                            Disk-Validator next time will infect System.
                         4. Virus starts diskhead stepping in all floppy 
                            drives and writing on disk (if writeable)
                            which will result in trackdisk errors.
                      Transient damage: Mouse pointer will disappear, 
                            and an Alert will be displayed with text:
                            "SADDAM VIRUS". After pressing mouse 
                            button, cold reset.
Damage Trigger......: Permanent damage: 
                            1) insertion of a diskette
                            2) reading a Datablock
                            3) accessing rootblock
                      Transient damage: reading bootblock after a
                            certain time.
Particularities.....: 1) No infection occurs when using FastFilingSystems
                         or running AmigaOS Version 2.0.
                      2) Virus uses direct Dos.Library Jumps. Encrypts
                         itself with pseudo random number upon infection.
                      3) Virus installs a message port which called 
                         "mycon.write".
Similarities........: All numbered SADDAMs (SADDAM 4, SADDAM 5, ...)
                         are just differently decrypted original SADDAMs.
--------------------- Agents -------------------------------------------
Countermeasures.....: VirusZ 3.06, VT 2.54, VirusChecker 6.28
Countermeasures successful: VirusZ 3.06, VT 2.54, VirusChecker 6.28
Standard means......: VT 2.54
--------------------- Acknowledgement ----------------------------------
Location............: Virus Test Center, University Hamburg, FRG
Classification by...: Oliver Meng
Documentation by....: Oliver Meng, Update by Jens Vogler
Date................: 31-July-1993
Information Source..: ---

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