[Fwd: ATENTION !!!!!!!virus]

[albert at ccs.neu.edu (Albert Cahalan)]

>> A new, ultra-dangerous computer virus exists, which will permanently
>> destroy your HARD DRIVE.  Do NOT -- repeat -- do NOT download and do not
>> even READ anything if the "Subject" or "Re" lines include the word "Good"
>> -- specifically: "Good News" or "Good Times."
> 
> Yeah, this is the famous "Good Times" virus warning.  It's been going
> around for a couple of years now, much like the "Craig Shergold"
> message.  There is no such virus e-mail message.
> 
> (Note the technical unlikelihood of such a virus -- you don't *execute*
> your e-mail, how could it adversely affect your hard drive?  For that

Microsoft makes it possible. The email reader starts Word to read
a document, then the powerful Word macro engine deposits a normal
virus into an executable. There is Active-X too.

> matter, how does one *permanently* destroy a hard drive from
> software? What could software possibly do that a full reformatting
> couldn't correct?)

Sweep the heads back and forth as fast as possible. While doing that,
write to a port that stops the drive motor. Repeat many times.
(do not expect it to work on a modern drive though)

It is possible to low-level format a modern drive in such way that
the drive can only be reformatted by the factory. Most IDE drives
do not have enough accuracy to do a correct low-level format. When
a low-level format is done, the drive can not be fixed without
equipment at the factory.

If the drive is large enough, you can move the heads in such a way
that the computer walks right off the table and crashes to the floor.