Subject: Major Trojan Warning 
Date: 12 Dec 89 19:26:00 GMT 
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU 
 
This is an urgent forward from John McAfee: 
 
     A distribution diskette from a corporation calling itself PC 
Cyborg has been widely distributed to major corporations and PC user 
groups around the world and the diskette contains a highly destructive 
trojan.  The Chase Manhattan Bank and ICL Computers were the first to 
report problems with the software.  All systems that ran the enclosed 
programs had all data on the hard disks destroyed.  Hundreds of 
systems were affected.  Other reports have come in from user groups, 
small businesses and individuals with similar problems.  The 
professionally prepared documentation that comes with the diskette 
purports that the software provides a data base of AIDS information. 
The flyer heading reads - "AIDS Information - An Introductory 
Diskette".  The license agreement on the back of the same flyer reads: 
 
"In case of breach of license, PC Cyborg Corporation reserves the 
right to use program mechanisms to ensure termination of the use of 
these programs.  These program mechanisms will adversely affect other 
program applications on microcomputers.  You are hereby advised of the 
most serious consequences of your failure to abide by the terms of 
this license agreement." 
 
Further in the license is the sentence: "Warning: Do not use these 
programs unless you are prepared to pay for them". 
 
If the software is installed using the included INSTALL program, the 
first thing that the program does is print out an invoice for the 
software.  Then, whenever the system is re-booted, or powered down and 
then re-booted from the hard disk, the system self destructs. 
 
Whoever has perpetrated this monstrosity has gone to a great deal of 
time, and more expense, and they have clearly perpetrated the largest 
single targeting of destructive code yet reported.  The mailings are 
professionally done, and the style of the mailing labels indicate the 
lists were purchased from professional mailing organizations.  The 
estimated costs for printing, diskette, label and mailing is over 
$3.00 per package.  The volume of reports imply that many thousands 
may have been mailed.  In addition, the British magazine "PC Business 
World" has included a copy of the diskette with its most recent 
publication - another expensive avenue of distribution.  The only 
indication of who the perpetrator(s) may be is the address on the 
invoice to which they ask that $378.00 be mailed: 
 
          PC Cyborg Corporation 
          P.O. Box 871744 
          Panama 7, Panama 
 
Needless to say, a check for a registered PC Cyborg Corporation in 
Panama turned up negative. 
 
An additional note of interest in the license section reads: 
"PC Cyborg Corporation does not authorize you to distribute or use 
these programs in the United States of America.  If you have any doubt 
about your willingness or ability to meet the terms of this license 
agreement or if you are not prepared to pay all amounts due to PC 
Cyborg Corporation, then do not use these programs". 
 
 
John McAfee 
