Does anyone know anything about the VRN.2284 virus? I contacted Norton and McAfee but they don't know anything. I can't find any info about it except that it affects .COM files and .exe files, it's a DOS File-Infecting Virus, and it is Memory Resident.

Mike S., This is what I have found about your virus... It is a very dangerous memory resident encrypted parasitic virus. It hooks INT 21h and writes itself to the end of COM (except COMMAND.COM) and EXE files that are executed. The virus does not infect the anti-virus programs: SCAN, NAV, F-PROT, GUARD, FINDVIRU, TOOLKIT, AVP. When the AVPLITE anti-virus is executed, the virus modifies the command line so, that memory scanning and heuristic analysis stays disabled. The virus also deletes the anti-virus data files: ANTI-VIR.DAT, CHKLIST.MS, SMARTCHK.CPS, AVP.CRC, IVB.NTZ, CHKLIST.TAV. The virus has bugs and can corrupt files while infecting them. Under debugger the virus erases the CMOS. On July 4th the virus erases the hard drive sectors, the CMOS and displays the message: -- VrN vIrUs coded by ThE_WiZArD in Spain (1998) -- !! DEDICATED TO VeRoNica !! The injustice and ignorance can only end by force If we must end this ourselvers, we will stop at nothing This is one Strike, in what will soon become MANY You may stop this individual, but you can not stop us all... The virus also contains the text strings: ->#ThE_WiZArD draziw@usa.net !! S70p K1ll1n 0uR B4byS 0r w3 w1ll d3s7r0y y0ur d474 4g41n !! Virus Bulletin Tank863

I found the same information about a virus called VRN.2276 Are the two viruses the same one but with different names? I still can't find any info on how to remove it or fix the problems it caused and how it might have infected my computer. Where can I find that info? How come Norton and McAfee don't list anything about them on their websites?

Mike S., According to Symantec and McAfee... This particular virus has been defeated way back in 1998. Any new virus program with updated virus def's should have stopped this virus and any damage it may have been doing. However, as you pointed out, the virus info that I gave you os for VRN.2276 and you were looking for VRN.2284. It may very well have been that a writer "updated" this virus and it can't be detected or repaired yet. Are you using Nortons? Do you have it (virus) quarantined? If so, you can upload the virus to SARC. Hope this helps you.... Tank863

Hmmm. That's odd. First them people at Norton said it was an old virus from 1998 then they say it's a new virus. Now I know how it slipped by my Norton Anti-Virus Software and damaged my hard drive. It's because them people at Norton are a bunch of idiots.