Classification

Category :

Malware

Type :

Virus

Aliases :

RP, Rhubarb

Summary

This is a stealth boot sector virus. Unlike most other boot sector viruses, RP does not decrease the total amount of DOS memory; instead it decreases the amount of free memory.

Removal

Based on the settings of your F-Secure security product, it will either move the file to the quarantine where it cannot spread or cause harm, or remove it.

A False Positive is when a file is incorrectly detected as harmful, usually because its code or behavior resembles known harmful programs. A False Positive will usually be fixed in a subsequent database update without any action needed on your part. If you wish, you may also:

  • Check for the latest database updates

    First check if your F-Secure security program is using the latest updates, then try scanning the file again.

  • Submit a sample

    After checking, if you still believe the file is incorrectly detected, you can submit a sample of it for re-analysis.

    Note: If the file was moved to quarantine, you need to collect the file from quarantine before you can submit it.

  • Exclude a file from further scanning

    If you are certain that the file is safe and want to continue using it, you can exclude it from further scanning by the F-Secure security product.

    Note: You need administrative rights to change the settings.

Technical Details

RP activates on the 17th of December. When the machine is booted on that date, the virus decrypts a message, switches the display to 40 column mode and displays the following text:

RP wants to say hello!

After this, the virus overwrites part of the hard drive, making the machine unbootable.

The virus is buggy and often crashes when infecting a floppy. RP was reported to be in the wild in Hungary and Denmark in January 1996.