Ada (computer virus)
| Ada | |
|---|---|
| Technical name | ADA |
| Alias | Ada, Ada-2600, Ada.2600 |
| Type | DOS |
| Subtype | COM infector. Random nuisance. |
| Classification | Virus |
| Family | N/A |
| Origin | Argentina |
| Authors | Unknown |
Ada is a computer virus that can affect any of the DOS operating systems[1]. Ada was first discovered in 1991.
History
The virus was first discovered in Argentina in October, 1991.
Virus Characteristics
Ada is a memory resident virus[2] that infects files. A memory resident virus is a type of virus that stays in the memory of the computer it infects after the program it infect executes. A virus that is not memory resident can only function when the program it infects runs. The Ada virus mainly targets .COM files, specificly COMMAND.COM.
Infected programs will have additional text inserted into their name[3], such as:
- COMMAND.COM
- PCCILLIN.COM
- PCCILLIN.IMG
- HATI-HATI !! ADA VIRUS DISINI !!Delete
Computers infected with the Ada virus will often have a slow clicking sound emitting from their speakers; this clicking may sometimes change in pitch[4]. Computers infected also may show a "Disk Full" error even if the disk still has space on it.
While infected with the Ada virus, system memory measured by the DOS CHKDSK decreases by 21,296 bytes to 21,312 bytes. The virus itself though has a file size of only 2,600 bytes.
Infection Route
There is only one way to infect a computer with the Ada virus; by executing a infected file. The infected file may come from a variety of sources: floppy disks, files downloaded from the internet, and infected networks[5].