AfterDawn: News

New trojan deletes your music

In an obvious protest against pirating music, someone has unleashed a new, low threat trojan virus onto the Internet community that is hellbent on deleting all of your MP3 files. Known as the W32.Deletemusic, this virus does exactly as the name implies. Once activated, it will scan any drive connected to your PC and delete any music file, whether it be on your primary hard drive, flash drive, or external hard drive. Additionally, it'll attach itself to an infected drive and if that drive is inserted into another machine, it will again continue its destruction of all your music.

This isn't the first time some group has taken its aim on pirating. Over the past two years, there have been other trojans named Nopir-B and Erazer. The latter being the more vicious of the two as it wouldn't only target mp3s, but AVI, mpgs, wmvs and ZIP files.



While speculation can point this towards an RIAA cooked up trojan that thwarts would-be pirates, analysts claim that this type of thing appears to be the work of mischievous teenagers and not some larger entity.

W32.Deletemusic affects computers running Windows all the way back from Windows 95 to Windows Vista and everything in between.

Source:
ARS Technica

Written by: Dave Horvath @ 4 Aug 2007 11:44

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• 42 comments

• nobrainer

  or the riaa made it look like a teenager, as companies have used dirty tactics in the past. take sony xcp for instance and seems sony are at the front of the mpaa, riaa, aacs la all pushing drm it wouldn't surprise me if the mafia are behind this too.

  4.8.2007 11:52 #1

• Moomoo2

  lol, the computer mafia.

  4.8.2007 11:53 #2

• nobrainer

  Originally posted by Moomoo2: lol, the computer mafia.http://digg.com/music/RIAA_and_MPAA_merge_to_form_MAFIAA
  
  Quote:Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA) chairman Dan Glickman and Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) president Cary Sherman today announced the historic merger of the two organizations. The newly-created entity is being called the Music And Film Industry Association of America, Inc.Music And Film Industry Association of America >>>> hence the MAFIAA
  
  
  The Pro DRM Lobby consists of these companies:
  
  MPAA:
  
  Sony Pictures, Buena Vista (The Walt Disney Company), Paramount Pictures (Viacom -- which bought DreamWorks in February 2006), 20th Century Fox , Universal Studios , and Warner Bros. (Time Warner)
  
  AACS LA:
  
  Sony, Disney, Intel, Microsoft, Matsushita (Panasonic), Warner Brothers, IBM and Toshiba.
  
  RIAA:
  
  Sony BMG Music Entertainment, EMI, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group.
  
  Blu-ray Disc Association:
  
  Sony, Matsushita, Pioneer, Philips, Thomson, LG Electronics, Hitachi, Sharp and Samsung.

  4.8.2007 12:03 #3

• WierdName

  Not that I doubt it could be the RIAA, MPAA, or MAFIAA, but who's to say this isn't just some teenager with a crapload of time on their hands?

  4.8.2007 12:08 #4

• narmo

  does anybody know where this virus can be found so we can all avoid it like some viruses can be avoided by not going to certain websites or downloading certain things and can the nod 32 antivirus protect my computer from that virus?

  4.8.2007 12:17 #5

• kaosX

  good thing i keep all my music backed on a secondary USB drive thats always off. unless of course i needed to backup my music :)

  4.8.2007 12:45 #6

• jookycola

  Well they are retarded because if you own an Ipod all the music on the ipod would just reinstall to your hard drive....once cleaned of the virus and i know alot of people that store their media files on seperate external hard drives. I use my Creative Zen as an external HDD and store all extra movie & music files on it as a back up. I never attach it to the computer unless it's for file retreaval. So there are 2 ways that this virus is a joke.
  
  idiots

  4.8.2007 13:07 #7

• WierdName

  Originally posted by jookycola: Well they are retarded because if you own an Ipod all the music on the ipod would just reinstall to your hard drive....once cleaned of the virus and i know alot of people that store their media files on seperate external hard drives. I use my Creative Zen as an external HDD and store all extra movie & music files on it as a back up. I never attach it to the computer unless it's for file retreaval. So there are 2 ways that this virus is a joke.
  
  idiotsTheres a problem with that though, what if your too cheap to have an Ipod or external HDD? Then again, your probably too cheap to buy then music then...
  That reminds me, I need to move all my non-program files to DVDs again.

  4.8.2007 13:26 #8

• mspurloc

  I'm sorry, we're supposed to believe this is some pimply-faced teenager? I don't think so. Either the RIAA hired a black hat to do it, or they're doing it themselves. What would the motivation be for some syphillitic band-follower to do this? Street cred? No. He'd get street cred for wiping out the RIAA's payroll database. This gets him killed, if his victims ever hear a peep out of him. Good riddance, too.

  4.8.2007 13:31 #9

• rihgt682

  If all my music collection is deleted, LIke my whole itune. Someone is going to pay.

  4.8.2007 14:39 #10

• reloadSE

  Thank god its not for linux! (go dual-booting) or you could always scan your hdd alot? if your on windows.

  4.8.2007 15:09 #11

• 21Q

  So exactly how is the virus spread?

  4.8.2007 15:18 #12

• gulfratt

  Well it looks like the large companies are doing what so many others are doing. I don't see what the fuss is, this is just changing of the process. they get better someone else stops it and so forth. Backing up your stuff would be the best protection if possible. As far as I am conerned it lets everyone see the weakness in all our systems. allowing us to better protect what we value. Hope this doesn't anger anyone. It not like they can stop hackers well I suppose they now employ a few of there own. Just my thoughts.

  4.8.2007 15:52 #13

• gulfratt

  Well it looks like the large companies are doing what so many others are doing. I don't see what the fuss is, this is just changing of the process. they get better someone else stops it and so forth. Backing up your stuff would be the best protection if possible. As far as I am conerned it lets everyone see the weakness in all our systems. allowing us to better protect what we value. Hope this doesn't anger anyone. It not like they can stop hackers well I suppose they now employ a few of there own. Just my thoughts.

  4.8.2007 15:52 #14

• georgeluv

  if only it just deleted BAD music.

  4.8.2007 16:28 #15

• Bobby728

  Really It almost makes me wanna sell my Dell and get a Brand New MAC.Enough with Microsoft and virus's.

  4.8.2007 16:30 #16

• AXT

  I don't think that the RIAA or MPAA is smart enough to create such a virus, it is simply too complicated for them.

  4.8.2007 17:16 #17

• L-Burna

  In other words it is an easy fix,just back up your music.It isn't hard to put music on a cd,dvd,or even an external harddrive which are very cheap to buy anyways.I agree there are idiots out there that create viruses for no apparent reason at all.I think whoever created it made it for a reason,and it was probably to stop pirating music.A big corporation could create something like this,and it doesn't suprise me at all to see something like this.

  4.8.2007 17:44 #18

• c1c

  Anyone know how to create a virus that will wipe out our entire MPAA and RIAA collection?

  4.8.2007 17:48 #19

• garmoon

  Now might be a good time to take a few minutes and back up those precious files to some DVD RWs. I have done so since day one and not afraid of losing them.

  4.8.2007 18:31 #20

• ZimHosein

  Originally posted by narmo: does anybody know where this virus can be found so we can all avoid it like some viruses can be avoided by not going to certain websites or downloading certain things and can the nod 32 antivirus protect my computer from that virus?In addition when will A/V companies update their virus definitions so their users are protected?

  4.8.2007 19:13 #21

• raygodl

  Where can i download this trojan???

  4.8.2007 19:25 #22

• WierdName

  Originally posted by Bobby728: Really It almost makes me wanna sell my Dell and get a Brand New MAC.Enough with Microsoft and virus's.Well first of all, I'm not supporting Windows because they do have a LOT of viruses but, no offense, anyone who says or thinks they are safe because they are on a MAC is an idiot and/or misinformed. MACs are just as susceptible to viruses as anything else and stating they you aren't makes you more of a target because now they want to prove you wrong. Anyone with a good head on their shoulders and understands the tech virus world knows that everything from a supercomputer to a little 5-year-olds toy video game they got from the fast food place are all able to be attacked by viruses. Its just the matter of if anyone actually cares about it. And stating that you are invincible or such just because you are on whatever makes you a target. Don't take this personally, its just that it is getting EXTREMELY annoying hearing people say they are just fine because they are on a MAC. If you wanna know they truth, search around for a list of how many security fix updates were put out for MACs. Its a long list just as any other OS. The fact is that everything is vulnerable somewhere because every little security breach is just to hard to account for.
  
  EDIT- grammer

  4.8.2007 19:59 #23

• jimmer

  as long as it doesn't delete my porn

  4.8.2007 20:50 #24

• TazmanYo

  "Really It almost makes me wanna sell my Dell and get a Brand New MAC.Enough with Microsoft and virus's."
  
  Mac is never the answer, the only reason it has less is because it has very few things that work with it. Mac is for newbies.

  4.8.2007 21:18 #25

• rdmercer1

  nobrainer where did you hear thi or read this? i did a search and this is a old virus like over a year old and it is aimed at people who use p2p software, like limewire,frostwire, and so on, if you want a virus all you have to do is start using p2p software, you never know what you will get, this is what i found http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/trojerazera.html

  5.8.2007 02:41 #26

• venomX05

  Ok...so, let me get this right,
  
  If the RIAA "created" the virus, this is legal HOW?
  
  Man, it just amazes me that someone, especially a teenager would go through great lengths to created some virus, but it does happen all the time. If the RIAA is behind this though, here is the rootkit situation all over again.

  5.8.2007 08:05 #27

• thekingo7

  The article said, the virus would ravage every single drive, does it need an OS to latch on to, or would something like an ipod not be affected due to its lack of Windows OS?

  5.8.2007 21:03 #28

• lordelven

  OK. what about you have legally downloaded ur music from one of many reputable music sites?
  
  I guess they would be affected too?

  6.8.2007 05:18 #29

• plazma247

  http://www.symantec.com/security_respons...4123-99&tabid=2
  
  has anyone actually seen this in the wild, aparently is coded in delphi so it should be possible to de-compile and see if the little scamps left any clues behind...

  6.8.2007 09:44 #30

• borhan9

  This is great news i feel this is awesome next time i have music i want to get rid of ill get this virus :P lol
  
  Thanxs for making me smile after a long hard day at work :)

  9.8.2007 04:24 #31

• _viper_

  lol... gotta love the latest trojans.
  
  A point about effectiveness--if you have a decent antivirus (AVG free edition for example), as soon as the trojan is detected, which should be as soon as you download it, if we assume no change in autoprotect options, the trojan should be automatically be paused/put into some virus vault.
  
  Also, I'm unsure about vista claim; by default, at least, the whole vista attempt at copying *nix unprivileged users should stop deletion without confirmation on /

  10.8.2007 06:38 #32

• editmon

  Uh, folks. I don't know if anyone has thought about this but when you mount an iPod to a Windows it is considered an external hard drive. That could be a problem also.
  Maybe better to backup your music to CD or DVD. Just a thought.

  10.8.2007 06:45 #33

• editmon

  Originally posted by mspurloc: I'm sorry, we're supposed to believe this is some pimply-faced teenager? I don't think so. Either the RIAA hired a black hat to do it, or they're doing it themselves. What would the motivation be for some syphillitic band-follower to do this? Street cred? No. He'd get street cred for wiping out the RIAA's payroll database. This gets him killed, if his victims ever hear a peep out of him. Good riddance, too.Actually the RIAA is operated by pimply-faced kids. The problem is most of them only have degrees in business administration. Their creative side ends at the bank and the power-on switch of their computers.

  10.8.2007 06:49 #34

• editmon

  Originally posted by lordelven: OK. what about you have legally downloaded ur music from one of many reputable music sites?
  
  I guess they would be affected too?Yes, this keeps "legal" revenue up by making you repurchase all that "hi quality" music you have downloaded.

  10.8.2007 06:52 #35

• editmon

  Originally posted by c1c: Anyone know how to create a virus that will wipe out our entire MPAA and RIAA collection?Yes!
  What I have been drumming for over that last four years. A boycott of all music purchases for three months. That hits them in the only spot that hurts. Their wallet. Careful though. If we did this they might turn into rampant murders!

  10.8.2007 06:55 #36

• madman91

  I am terrified, truly terrified. How will all those windows-using-noobies survive :)

  12.8.2007 17:32 #37

• WierdName

  Originally posted by madman91: I am terrified, truly terrified. How will all those windows-using-noobies survive :)Oh? You better be on Linux or the like if your saying that.

  12.8.2007 18:48 #38

• tuataress

  Originally posted by georgeluv: if only it just deleted BAD music.I luv u George!!

  13.8.2007 06:16 #39

• theonejrs

  Originally posted by AXT
  Quote:I don't think that the RIAA or MPAA is smart enough to create such a virus, it is simply too complicated for them.
  No, but they are smart enough to get someone to do it for them. I use Kaspersky 6.0 AV, which updates on the fly so I'm not worried.
  Quote:analysts claim that this type of thing appears to be the work of mischievous teenagers and not some larger entity.
  
  I love how they blame the kids though!LOL!!
  
  c1c,
  Quote:Anyone know how to create a virus that will wipe out our entire MPAA and RIAA collection?
  How about a virus to wipe out the MPAA and the RIAA! We could call it the "Mafia" virus! ROFLMAO!!
  
  Clock On,
  theone (:>}

  18.8.2007 12:55 #40

• c1c

  Do people really roll on the floor and laugh?
  

  hp dvd 840, vaio pcg-frv27,Epson r260 Printer, Wacom Graphire 4x5, Verbatim 4X Printable DVD-R

  24.8.2007 15:26 #41

• theonejrs

  c1c,
  Quote:Do people really roll on the floor and laugh?
  Wouldn't you if the MPAA and the RIAA got wiped out by a Mafia virus? LOL!!
  
  Clock On,
  theone :>)
  
  

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  24.8.2007 15:44 #42