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  4. DataCrime

DataCrime

ALIAS:Columbus Day
SIZE:1168 or 1280
Type: Non-resident COM-files

Summary

The DataCrime virus caused much panic around Oct. 13th 1989 when it was set to go off. Any infected program run on Oct. 13 or later in the year would format the first nine tracks of the hard disk and display the message 

                 DATACRIME VIRUS RELEASED: 1 MARCH 1989


Two variants are known, 1168 and 1280 bytes.

VARIANT:Datacrime II
This variant infects .EXE files as well. It is also a bit larger, 1514 bytes long and more complicated than the original virus. The latest variant, called DataCrime II-B is very similar to DataCrime II, but is only 1480 bytes long.